Part of 1999

The clock is ticking for fiery-haired Lola (Franka Potente, in an auspicious debut). She has 20 minutes to come up with 100,000 Deutschmarks and save her hapless small-time crook boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) from the heavy hand of fate (and Berlin’s disorganized crime syndicate) — and not even the boundaries of death and reality are going to stop her. Writer/director/composer Tom Tykwer (HEAVEN, CLOUD ATLAS) hit the ground running in the world cinema game with this brisk, kinetic thriller, equally at ease with cosmic possibility and dizzy romance, charming arthouses and mall cinemas in equal measure.

“Running time takes on more than one meaning when it comes to this compact thriller for which Franka Potente probably wishes she could have been paid by the kilometer.” —Matt Brunson, Film Frenzy

“A giant pinball game of a movie… Great fun.” —Dan Jardine, Apollo Guide

“This stylish, hugely likeable bit of adrenaline-pumped Euro-nonsense should shatter the illusions of those convinced that all subtitled fare is musty, wordy and dull.” —Caroline Westbrook, Empire