Product: Run, Lola, Run [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 5.0
Running toward an Identity
Tykwer created a cinematic monster when he shot Run Lola Run. The director had a limited budget and time, so the choice of shooting with a digital camera made this opus possible. Tykwer had limitless possibilities with this media, and made full use of the surreal capabilities of his camera. The viewer is dragged on a journey through time and space, and s/he is left wanting more. The simple intense dialogue grounds this film in its setting and the thumping techno beats of the soundtrack keeps the viewers heart racing. This film is not only useful for modern German cultural studies, it is ideal for the German language classroom. Run Lola Run is a memoir of a moment in history. The red haired heroine races to unite the once divided city of Berlin, and in doing so tries to find an identity for herself and the German people. Entertaining and heart wrenching, this film stands the test of time. Run Lola Run is a masterwork of post-unification German cinema. Whether it be the digital shots, the pulsing soundtrack, or the repeating storylines, this film takes the viewer on a journey that s/he will never forget.