Run Lola Run: German Psychoanalysis and a Fun little Movie

The movie that I reference in my practice more than any other is Run Lola Run. It is a German film that it seems very few people have seen. The gist of the story is that Lola (Franka Potente) has 20 minutes to get 100,000 German Marks to save her boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) and her interactions with people along the way—often through flash forward. The movie consists of three tellings of the story, each with a different outcome. It operates off of the “butterfly effect” (which according to Wikipedia, is the idea “that small differences in the initial condition of a dynamical system may produce large variations in the long term behavior of the system”). The whole movie is a bit of an adrenaline rush. It also is a great reference to Karen’s Horney’s theory of personality. As such, I think it also contains a great life lesson.

Without giving away the details of the movie, Lola’s encounter with a mean dog in the opening of each version of her saga affects the outcome of both her and Manni’s lives, but also the people whom she encounters along with way. The thing I like about the movie is that of her three encounters with the dog (fear, hostility, and confidence or indifference) determines the rest of the story.. I think this is a great metaphor for the idea that how we approach our world determines the quality of it. Each of these approaches that Lola takes is similar to an aspect of Horney’s theory. Horney described three interpersonal approaches: moving away from people, moving against people, and moving toward people. Horney was German born and developed her theory in Germany, before moving to the US—I wonder how aware the film makers were that they were referencing one of the great German Psychiatrists.

Moving away from people is marked by detachment and withdrawal (Lola’s fear of the dog). In the sequence in which Lola responds to fear of the dog she demonstrates withdrawal—an unwillingness to encounter. If we approach our world with fear or hesitation we miss out on life. Inaction deprives us of experiences and things that we want, and can have terrible consequences. Most people who live their lives anxious are actually aware of the cost, but have not mustered the courage to change.

Moving against people is marked by aggression (Lola’s hostility toward the dog). People who approach the world with hostility and antagonism tend to be less aware of the impact of their approach, but suffer no less for it. I think all of us can recognize how we have deprived aggressive people. They do not engender feelings of cooperation—nor do they seek cooperation. Instead of working with others they simply take what they want, and end up with less. They fear changing and trusting the world.

Moving toward people is marked by pro-social behaviors, a loving, respectful response (Lola’s confidence or indifference in the face of a mean dog). Horney wrote that this approach can be pathological when it achieves a level of dependence. But I think that if we take a loving approach toward others, in which we do not succumb to the fears and hostility of others, we will have a more enjoyable life. This engenders an attitude of understanding, tolerance, and compassion. People who work toward the benefit of others usually benefit in return. People who are concentrated on relationships and trust in them, without becoming anxious about them, tend to be the most rewarded. I think there is also an element of not allowing oneself to be intimidated or angered by the people (or objects or events) in the world that are hostile. Reach out to those that welcome you and you improve your chances of having rewarding relationships. Be aware of those that exploit the relationship either for their own purposes or for their own security. And check out the movie Run Lola Run for your own lesson.