~Tribute to a German Masterpiece~. Review on Run Lola Run Movie

Introduction: I'm back again at reviewing a non-current film; and this time, occupying my mind, is a well-known German masterpiece known by the name of 'Run Lola Run'. It was directed by Tom Tykwer, a well-known German filmmaker who has also directed the well-known Hollywood film 'Perfume - The Story of a Murderer'.

Run Lola Run, when released, met with universal acclaim from audiences and critics alike from all over the world. It ended up winning many awards at different film festivals around the globe, including the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival and the Best Film Award at the Seattle International Film Festival, along with numerous other awards in Germany.

Plot: Lola, a young girl gets a call from her boyfriend who's a small-time criminal. He is distraught over a plastic bag that he has lost in a Metro Rail, which contains 100,000 German Marks which he has to give to his boss. When he calls her, he has just about twenty minutes to deliver the money. If he is unable to do so, he will be killed. Lola has no option but to help him out of this mess and arrange the money in twenty minutes, at any cost. She doesn't have much time to think. All she needs to do is act.

Analysis: The story of the film, although simplistic and uncomplicated in its underlying premise, is narrated in such a fantabulous manner at breakneck speed that it wouldn't give you any time to think. A lot of things seem to happen almost every second, but not for a moment does the film seem all over the place, or difficult to follow and understand. All I could say about it, without spoiling the fun you could have while watching it , is that it is essentially a 20-minute film despite its duration of approximately 80 minutes (Figure out what that means, which is only possible once you finish watching it).

It is a short film, which might be considered as one of its chief merits while at the same time, I was disappointed when the end credits started rolling I just did not want it to end as I had never been entertained by any non-Hollywood International film in the same way before. Major plus points are everything you could associate from extraordinary films. Where to begin with, I wonder? Should I start with the astonishingly-good editing, which made the film what it is? Or do I talk about the shot executions and the almost-impossible camerawork that follows Lola around Berlin? Or the scintillating background score? Or the stylish yet completely-in-control direction? Or the profound detailing that has gone into it? Or the surprise elements? I give up.

The first time you watch it, you would just flow away along with the narrative. The second time you do, you will notice the tiny little details that form the crux of the storyline. The third time, you might further find some more. And that is what makes it one of its kinds.

The only demerit, or so I thought, was a part of Lola's characterization that didn't go very well with me. Apparently, she has the power to break glasses and windows when she screams at the top of her voice. It can perhaps be explained as something that was woven into the film to make it brilliantly bizarre. But it could have been better with a little bit of explanation. Still, it's a minor blemish that can be brushed aside and cannot take away anything from a film that is an undeniable masterpiece.

I just did a huge favour to myself by watching an experience I am not likely to forget. It's a film with different layers. Although it often pretends unsuccessfully to be a thrilling ride that you can watch and forget, the main idea behind it is something extremely relevant in what defines us as individuals. And that is - how, even the simplest of decisions that we make and the actions we take, which we are unlikely to notice in our everyday routine - change the course of our lives. Apart from scoring heavily on the entertainment factor, it also reflects how every single thing that we do, which we are often oblivious to, and whether it's good or bad comes back to us at sometime or the other.

Watch it to see what German cinema is capable of. Watch it for the sake of genuine cinema. Watch it even if you have to read the subtitles. It's worth it and much more. Trust me; this is one of those films that are entirely satisfying from whatever perspective you sit through them.

The saying that art transcends boundaries of race, religion, and countries holds true only because of outstanding films like these.

Gosh, the Background Score is still playing in my mind!