Run Lola Run Analysis

Plot/Theme/Character	Camera Work/Visuals	Production Design	Sound	Editing and Effects
Lola is shown to be a very powerful character with almost supernatural power at times. The best example is when she manages to stabilize the guard when he is dying in the ambulance. There is also a switch in gender roles, as Lola comes to Manni’s rescue, taking charge throughout the film. Lola’s screaming also makes her seem powerful; she uses it to make Manni stop talking, and screams when she is the casino trying to guess where the ball will land.	There is a lot of camera work that focuses on clocks. Obviously an important part of the film is the 20 minute time limit that the characters have. The camera focuses on the clock to remind the viewer of time. In the first ending where Manni is about to rob the bank, the screen is split between him, Lola and a clock. When Lola just barely misses Manni, it shows how close she is to him, but how far she is from stopping him.	The film was based mostly around what Tykwer wanted to get across. Tykwer puts emphasis on side characters. This can be used to break up the scenes where Lola is just running. Tykwer has stated that he dislikes the way side characters are used and given no real meaning. For example, the woman with her baby has multiple endings between losing her baby and winning the lottery.	Sound is used to help the viewer get an idea of what is happening in the film. When Lola holds the security guard’s hand, we hear the heart rate monitor slowing down. This lets the viewer see that the guard is probably going to live. Without the sound, this scene would not really get this point across, the viewer is sure the guard will live now.	During dramatic scenes there are a lot of jump cuts and camera movement. When Lola was thinking about who she could go to for money, we see the characters flashing, and when she decides on her father, it stops. During the same scene, the camera is spinning around her, this helps build up tension before she even runs out of the room. It helps the viewer know what is happening without unnecessary dialogue.
The plot of the film is designed to the personal wants of Tykwer. He creates the buildup that most films do through a full plot arc, but instead going back in time, and having Lola act differently across the endings. He makes the characters grow and makes the audience feel for the characters in a new way.	During the bedroom scene, there is a romantic feeling as there is a red filter. It automatically sets the mood for what the characters are saying. Besides showing love, it makes the shot much more interesting to look at especially since the camera doesn’t move.	Tykwer had a central theme of love as the driving force between Manni and Lola. The only time where this is shown in detail in the bedroom scene. The red tint not only creates a feeling of romance, but it also hides Lola’s red hair. In the bed room, the two are equal. This helps show the relationship between the two.	In the first ending, the ambulance helps the viewer see just how close Lola is getting to Manni. We first hear the ambulance from Lola’s perspective, later it drives behind Manni showing that Lola is not that far away. This also helps deal with the lack of knowing where Lola is, and how far she had to run.	One effect that sticks out in the film is when Manni drops the gun when Lola dies. The sound the gun makes is off, and for a reason. It drags attention to the sound since it is wrong, it also shows how Manni has lost any will to fight or run after he sees Lola.
There are several themes in Run Lola Run, most important being love and fate. Love is what motivates Lola to find 100,000 marks in only 20 minutes. Their love is almost strong enough to get them through anything. Tykwer has said that love can move mountains and does, but he brings his film more down to earth by having Manni and Lola each die. This ties into the idea of having a set fate, and bending fate. Lola almost seems strong enough to change things that are set. Lola’s most powerful and rebellious moments occur in the final ending.	Tykwer also chose to use totally different cameras depending on what he was shooting. Scenes with Manni and Lola were shot in film. The shot looks clear, and helps the viewer’s focus on what is happening, not the quality of the shot. Other shots, in particular the one with Lola’s father and his affair looks grainy. This may represent Tykwer’s idea of what is happening that Manni and Lola are real or positive while everything is fake or wrong.	Tykwer put a lot of emphasis on time, whether it is in slow motion, fast motion, or simply being an obstacle for the characters. First off, it helps the audience see how little time Lola has, and how close she is to success. The best example is when she barely manages to reach Manni before he robs the store. Just a few more seconds and the robbery which ended in Lola’s death could have been avoided.	The music is also an important choice in this film. Most of the time it is techno/ dance music. This allows the films flow to continue. It seems like the kind of music used was best suited for the film, it was made specifically for this film. Tykwer worked very closely with two composers who he trusted when creating the music for his film. It establishes rhyme, and a dialectical relation which relates time in the film.	One of the best transitions of the film is between the first and second plots. Lola throws the bag of money in the air, and as it falls, there are cuts to the phone falling from the beginning. This provided a smooth transition straight into the action of Lola running. It also helps transition locations without confusing teh audience.