Berlin criminal Manni delivers some smuggled loot for his boss, Ronnie, but accidentally leaves the 100,000 mark payment in a subway car. Given 20 minutes to come up with the money, he calls his girlfriend Lola, who sprints through the city to get to Manni before he does something desperate.
This late 1990s favorite crystallized two brilliant forces: German director Tom Tykwer’s kinetic style and his actress Franka Potente’s fierce charisma (not to mention that unforgettable shock of red hair!). Both have made good things after but none have the adrenaline pumping energy captured here.