Any way you look at it, “Run Lola Run” is one wild ride.
The 1998 German thriller is next up in the Michigan Theater’s Summer Classics series Sunday and Tuesday.
In “Lola,” the main character (Moritz Bleibtreu), handled a smuggling job, delivered the loot, collected the payment but left the money bag on the subway. He now has 20 minutes to gather 100,000 deutsche marks or face the wrath of his boss, crimester Ronnie (Heino Ferch).
Desperate, Manni phones his girlfriend Lola (Franka Potente), who immediately runs through Berlin’s streets to the bank run by her father. He says no, and when Lola goes to meet Manni, he’s holding up a supermarket and she’s shot by the cops.
In a device familiar to readers of Ken Grimwood’s novel “Replay,” the story begins anew with different outcomes. In one version, Lola robs the bank and takes her father hostage; in another, there’s casino cash to be won.
All Lola-Manni scenes were shot in 35mm, while scenes without them were shot in video. Other cinematic techniques on display include whip pans, jump cuts, slow and fast motion, split-screen, intercut color and black and white, segment titles, and animation.
Will Lola make it with the money? Let’s just say the clock keeps ticking.
Summer Classics film series presents “Run Lola Run” at the Michigan Theater, 603 E Liberty St., Sunday, Sept. 1 at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Sept., 3 at 7: p.m. Admission is $10 (with discounts for students, seniors & theater members). Details at www.michtheater.org or 734-668-8397. Advance tickets at ticketweb.com. 80 minutes. Rated R.