The Robber: robbing and running, but why? and who cares?

The title character in The Robber/Der Rauber finishes a six-year prison term for bank robbery and immediately and compulsively robs a bank.  He doesn’t care about the money, he is simply driven to rob banks.

He has spent his six years in prison obsessively training, and he wins the Vienna Marathon when he gets out.  Along the way, his running ability helps him make dramatic escapes.  The role of the robber is very physically demanding, and he is well-played by Andreas Lust (Revanche).

It’s a well-acted and at times beautifully shot movie, but the story by writer-director Benjamin Heidenberg lets us down.  Why is the robber so compulsive?  How did he get to be so alienated?  Since he shows no emotion or human connection, why should we care?

There exists an excellent German bank robbery drama with lots of running, plus a great character, so I recommend Run Lola Run on DVD.

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