Lola rennt was originally released in 1998, which means the first time I watched it, it was newly released while I was an exchange student in Germany. It was among the first German movies I ever watched, and it was a great view of film style and the importance of deeper meaning. As many times as I have seen Lola rennt, I still see something new every time I watch it. One could consider it a simple thriller, watch it, and forget about it. Better, though, is to consider the alternatives that are created by different choices in our lives.
Franka Potente and Moritz Bleibtreu make a great team throughout the film. Because the idea of choice and different alternatives is center, the basic plot line is repeated. We watch how the characters’ small decisions within 20 minutes of time can affect other characters around them.
The rest of the Lola rennt cast is also packed with well-known German actors. Herbert Knaup plays Lola’s father. Recently he’s been in a lot of TV and TV movies, but he’s also had roles in Irre sind männlich, Jerry Cotton, Agnes und seine Brüder, and Anatomie 2. Personally, I like him best in dramas, but his work in comedies is actually rather fascinating to watch.
Nina Petri also mostly does TV work these days, but we’ve seen her in Bin ich schön?, der blinde Fleck, Große Mädchen weinen nicht and Bibi Blocksberg und das Geheimnis der blauen Eulen.
Ludger Pistor, who plays Herr Meier (a relatively small, but important, role), crosses over into Hollywood film from time to time as well. He stays very busy. In fact, he’s already had four releases in 2019, including a recurring role in a TV series. Some of his most well-known roles have been in: Woman in Gold, The Fifth Estate, X-Men: First Class, Inglorious Basterds, Casino Royale, Schindler’s List, and Der Experte.
This film is rated R in the US, in large part due to the translations of swearing throughout the film. There is a flash of BDSM (literally a second long), but no nudity is seen. The full write-up of warnings is available at IMDB. When they mention “quick images” and “frames,” they are a second each.