A young woman receives a phone call from her boyfriend telling her that if he doesn't get 100,000 Deutchmarks within 20 minutes he's a dead man. It tells of the consequences of the phone call in 20 minutes of real time three times over, each containing a slightly differing timeline, thus showing how minor incidents or coincidence can have a massive knock on effect to not only your life, but those around you. Run Lola Run is very much a product of its time; the techno soundtrack, grunge fashion and fascination with the mathematics of probability (ie "the butterfly effect") all reek of the 1990s, but Run Lola Run still feels strangely fresh, probably because of its brisk, no-nonsense pace and 75 minute running time meaning it never gets too caught up in pretentious navel gazing. I could have lived without some of the directorial affectations that made it feel a little too much like a music video in places, and the coincidences are of course extremely unlikely, but the urban crime element gives it a Luc Besson-esque flavour that makes for an entertaining and original experience.

An adrenaline rush of a film concerning a young woman (Franka Potente) who must gather 100,000 marks in twenty minutes to help bail her boyfriend (Mortiz Bleibtreu) out of a difficult situation that could result in his death. Few films have as much energy and sheer excitement as this one, which explores three different scenarios on how the situation evolves, and how the slightest change in time can produce drastically different results. Potente is the perfect fit for the red-hair Lola, and the film goes by so fast, and is so tightly paced, it is truly awesome to see how well director Tom Tykwer constructs and develops his story (or stories). Highly recommended for those that like fast-paced films.