SnoopyStyle Johann Rettenberger is released from Austrian prison after serving time for armed robbery. He returns to a life of armed robberies and competitive long distance running. He starts winning the races and gains some fame due to his background. He begins a relationship with social worker Erika who he knows from the past.The lead needs more emotions to be compelling. He's too controlled. His history with Erika needs to be laid out fully from the beginning. It's hard to engage with this guy who is so unengaging. The action could be shot with more thrills. I didn't realize that this is a true story and I don't know if it matters. It could have helped if the movie digs into the lead Johann more.

movie reviews The movie provided me with a change of scenery but not much else. The story is of a marathon runner/bank robber who while out on parole goes back to his old tricks.The film is slow moving I guess that is called minimalist...little dialogue and frankly somewhat grey and boring like winter in Vienna until he kills his parole officer and a chase ensues (there is one other chase in a bank robbery which helped too spark some interest too).Otherwise boring.Cinematography and acting are up to par it is the story or script that lags...not in an annoying way but in a boring way.....anyway after much thought I give it a 5. Crack a whip over some writers and add some fiction as other reviewers suggested and it could have been a lot better.Don't really recommend

IndustriousAngel A story about a botched life - interesting and (loosely) based on the life of robber, murderer and distance-runner J. Kastenberger, better known as "pumpgun Ronnie" (because he used a Reagan-mask for some of his robberies). The running sequences are good; I'm a distance runner myself and they did a nice job portraying it, the actor (Andreas Lust) had to do a lot of running for these and the flight sequences! On the DVD/BD, watch the extras about how they shot the Vienna City Marathon scenes during the actual event - even many spectators were fooled! Plus, there's a lot of outdoor scenes on many different locations; you have to wonder how they managed so many takes in just (I believe) 40 days of shooting. As a consequence, light isn't always perfect, but the film definitely has a very realistic look. While interesting to watch, it's difficult to relate to this very quiet and coldblooded man. The girlfriend is, of course, made-up for the story, in reality the robbers contacts to women were restricted to prostitutes (yes, he did spend some of that money). Maybe the film would be more involving if it were nearer to the real-life robber who seems to have been a pretty choleric type, sometimes committing murder just out of a sudden rage. As it is, you're not touched by this film.

Ben Larson I have always found runners and cyclists to be a strange lot. Why would they devote hours of their time to sweating except to get some kind of a rush similar to drug addicts?This film shows that life clearly, as Johann (Andreas Lust) gets out of prison and, rather than seek a life of fame and glory as a long distance runner and settle down with a woman who loves him, he pursues a life of crime. He is seeking the same or a higher rush that he gets from running.He doesn't quit running, but uses it to aid in stealing. It's never about money, as we never see him spend any. He just stores thousands of Euros under his bed. He even maintains a blank look as Erika (Franziska Weisz) tries to get some emotion out of him. His life is wrapped up in the rush he gets from stealing.Both primary actors gave very good performances in a film that had you on the edge as time ran out for Johann.