My young sons (Jett, 11, and Dylan, 9) really didn’t want to attend a screening of Tom Tykwer‘s Run Lola Run, which I was urging them to consider. (It had premiered in Germany in August ’98, and was about to open stateside in mid June of ’99.)

Their argument, being kids, was that they didn’t want to submit to a German-language film set in Berlin, and my answer was “it’s not about the language but the verve, the speed, the cutting, the color, Franka Potente‘s flaming red hair, the running, the animation, the excitement and the suspense.”

After I finally dragged them to a showing they said “okay, wow, fine…we get it.”

A new 4K restoration opens on Friday (6.7), and in plexes yet!

Jett, five minutes ago: “Still the first film that comes to mind when I think of German-language cinema.”

Born on 7.22.74, Potente was 23 or 24 during filming; she turns 50 next month.