The setting is Berlin, Germany, and the main character, Lola is faced with a life- changing situation. A chain of events takes place. That touches the lives of everyone. It’s a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet with three alternate endings. At the start, the writer teases the audience with questions about mankind, its origins, and its future. The body of the film is similar to a line of youth books called ‘Choose Your Own Adventure” in which the reader has decisions to make that alter the ending. This is true in real life only we cannot go back change our actions as Lola did when she refuses her first two choices.
Lola is a rebellious teen who lives with unfaithful parents. Mani is a delivery-boy for a local gangster with a bad reputation. During a diamond smuggling operation, he gets spooked by the police and leaves a duffle bag filled with 100,000 Deutschmarks on the U-bahn (subway). He has twenty minutes to return the money or he will face almost certain death. From there the plot unfolds into a sort of dreamscape where Lola tries to save Mani. She makes different decisions and runs through every possibility. After one outcome of her decision that leaves her dying, she denies it and is able to go back for a second chance where Mani ends up dying. In the third outcome, they both survive.
The city is depicted as desolate and dreary with little activity or zeal from anyone. The security guard, who is later in the ambulance having a heart attack, was the only one who showed any warm-hearted emotion. The casino scene shows an elite group of people with fancy clothes and very extravagant surroundings. The crowd was silent and watched Lola with full attention as she left after winning her two games. The customers at the grocery store that Mani was planning to rob were also sort of lethargic as well as the lady that Lola passed in the hall of the bank.
The idea behind writer/director Tom Twyker’s film was that nothing is certain. He wrote and directed what is said to be Germany’s first Hollywood-like film. Mankind has always been fascinated with origin, higher power, and a spiritual world or afterlife. Creationism (Religion) vs. the Theory of Evolution divides much of our society and has been controversial lately as to which should be taught in the school systems. He plays on the uncertainty, with the idea that any answer would only bring about another question. . Many of the principles that Greek Philosopher, Heraclitus addressed are the same as what Twyker brings to his audience. Perhaps the most famous saying from Heraclitus that, “Change is the Only Constant,” is the most suited for comparison with the movie. It basically means that ‘change’ is the only certainty. Although this is contradicting the movie, it is true, but it does bring about more questions. In America the answer to what is and what isn’t certain, is a common phrase, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” In this film, Twyker uses soccer to portray his solution, by saying, “The ball is round, a game lasts 90 minutes, everything else is pure theory. Off we go.”
It is as though soccer is religion. Football, in America, has slowly taken the place of Baseball as the number sport with devout fans that follow the season with ‘fantasy football’ teams, replica jerseys, and extravagant parties. It’s one of the biggest industries in the country but soccer fans are much more passionate. Nowadays, players demand top pay and some are individually worth more than small countries. There has always been some form of competition throughout mankind. It is survival for the animals, entertainment for man, and for Lola it’s to keep love alive.
This is a wild ride and a bit off the beaten path. The idea of uncertainty transcends culture, time and location. Philosophy and religion have struggled with this subject for centuries and religious beliefs are directly related. Heraclitus said, “This universe, which is the same for all, has not been made by any god or man, but it always has been, is, and will be an ever-living fire, kindling itself by regular measures and going out by regular measures.” His quote pretty much sums up mans knowledge in a theoretical manner. Some would argue that we have a higher power, that destiny is preordained, and that there is an afterlife. The simple fact is that none really knows! It’s amazing that as a society we can send men to the moon, clone each other, and communicate with anyone at anytime, but if we want certain answers dealing with creation and death that we better not get our hopes up for a good answer.
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