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What I Did For Love

by Lovell Mahan-Moutaw

Manni calls Lola with bad news. He has bungled a job and lost 100,000 Deutsche marks. It is, of course, all Lola's fault. She wasn't there on time. He hasn't the patience to listen to the story of her scooter getting stolen, he's made the decision that the best way to make up for his screw-up is to rob a grocery store.

Lola, being the brains of this duo, thinks that isn't such a hot idea. She is going to find some way to get the money for Manni. Unfortunately, Manni informs her, she has but twenty minutes to come up with the loot.

RUN LOLA RUN.

We are introduced to this adventure by a visually stunning set of opening credits that includes some remarkable music, animation, and a set of mug shots of the characters we are soon to meet.

This leads to a super fast forward continuous shot going from a phone booth to the ringing phone in Lola's room.

Against my own movie-viewing rules, I utter a word out loud.

"Wow..."

The fast pace, kick-ass music and action don't end for a second as we are treated to an unusual story through an original narrative. The twists and turns slap you across the face and when you realize that the film is about to end, you want to plead for it to continue.

With minimal dialogue, flash forwards, split screens and short, humorous flashbacks of pillow talk between Lola and Manny, you can't help but become ultra-involved in this story. One falls for Lola and cheers her on as you're set up to not have a clue about what is going to happen next, and love every minute of it.

Run Lola Run is a wild ride, and the viewer has no choice but to sit back and enjoy. Enjoy you will, the makers of this film have brought the quick-edit, MTV style into clear focus and instead of a disjointed, they're-covering-up-for-something feel, you don't miss a thing. Tom Twyker is the director, screenwriter and the man responsible for most of the music. My hat is off to him.

Run Lola Run is the most innovative film-making that I've seen, possibly ever. The chances taken with this film are enormous but no beat is missed. This isn't a film for a conservative movie goer, someone who thinks Shakespeare in Love was the most amazing film of last year. There is nothing wrong with that of course, Shakespeare in Love was a good time at the movies. But Run Lola Run is the difference between the quick, sweaty, panting, wet, hot, magnificent fuck with the lover you haven't seen in three years, and making love to the same partner you've made love to once a week for the past three years.

There is no compare.