What you have in "Run Lola Run" are three scenarios done a la the 'butterfly effect', and it's ultimately up to the viewer to decide which one of the outcomes is most credible given the set up at the beginning. It can be interesting for viewers who haven't seen a lot of films done in this manner, but has a way of cheating the person invested in a specific outcome, whether good, bad or indifferent. It's the same with the cuckoo bird cited in my summary line, which was a quote from Lola's (Franka Potente) father in the first segment when he ushered her out of the building. The female cuckoo will deposit her eggs in the nests of other birds so she doesn't have to tend to them herself. Good strategy for cuckoo's, not so good for humans.
For whatever reason, probably in an attempt to provide another novel approach to this project, the director inserts additional scenarios in which ancillary characters are fast forwarded to their ultimate destiny as a result of being 'touched' by Lola during her sprint. These have no effect on any of the potential outcomes to the story, nor do the dreamlike visions of Lola and her boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) while on the verge of death following the first two chapters. Oh yes, and there's also the animated patches spliced in as Lola starts her heroic runs, another concession to novelty that comes at you rather unexpectedly.
Even with my criticism, this isn't a bad film by any means. Actually it's rather entertaining and clips along rather swiftly in it's hour and a half run time and you could probably do worse. Just be prepared to watch a film with no definitive conclusion unless you provide it for yourself. For my money, I'd go with the last reel, and if I was Lola, I'd dump Manni and keep the hundred thousand marks for myself.
For whatever reason, probably in an attempt to provide another novel approach to this project, the director inserts additional scenarios in which ancillary characters are fast forwarded to their ultimate destiny as a result of being 'touched' by Lola during her sprint. These have no effect on any of the potential outcomes to the story, nor do the dreamlike visions of Lola and her boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) while on the verge of death following the first two chapters. Oh yes, and there's also the animated patches spliced in as Lola starts her heroic runs, another concession to novelty that comes at you rather unexpectedly.
Even with my criticism, this isn't a bad film by any means. Actually it's rather entertaining and clips along rather swiftly in it's hour and a half run time and you could probably do worse. Just be prepared to watch a film with no definitive conclusion unless you provide it for yourself. For my money, I'd go with the last reel, and if I was Lola, I'd dump Manni and keep the hundred thousand marks for myself.