This film is a lightweight comedy/drama with a unique story. Although Gwyneth Paltrow plays the same character in both aspects of the story, both Helens seem completely different. The flow of the story seems quite natural and the cast does a wonderful job going through the twists and turns of their characters lives. It's a chick flick with none of the sap.
330 Reviews
Interesting... But ultimately 'Frothy'...
cat_ranchero14 October 2012
Very well made with a nice witty script and a decent pace so it doesn't get bogged down too much. It does look slightly dated though, but that's mostly to do with things like fashion and technology.
I must admit I did find the premise of this film quite interesting; how just a couple of seconds at a crucial moment can make drastic changes to a life did intrigue me. I did enjoy the way it was done but ultimately it is about feelings and relationships which is fine as far as it goes. It did leave me with a few questions by the end and I see that as a good thing; there were certain things open to interpretation and any film that does that is always going to be worth a look, in my view. I will admit I did enjoy it up to a point; I found the characters quite engaging, there is some great dialogue and I even recognised one or two of the tunes! Over all, worth a look but I feel its one of those I'll only watch once (although I've been wrong about that before).
SteelMonster's verdict: RECOMMENDED
My score: 7.2/10
You can find an expanded version of this review on my blog: Thoughts of a SteelMonster.
I must admit I did find the premise of this film quite interesting; how just a couple of seconds at a crucial moment can make drastic changes to a life did intrigue me. I did enjoy the way it was done but ultimately it is about feelings and relationships which is fine as far as it goes. It did leave me with a few questions by the end and I see that as a good thing; there were certain things open to interpretation and any film that does that is always going to be worth a look, in my view. I will admit I did enjoy it up to a point; I found the characters quite engaging, there is some great dialogue and I even recognised one or two of the tunes! Over all, worth a look but I feel its one of those I'll only watch once (although I've been wrong about that before).
SteelMonster's verdict: RECOMMENDED
My score: 7.2/10
You can find an expanded version of this review on my blog: Thoughts of a SteelMonster.
Where was I when this film first appeared
gelman@attglobal.net15 May 2006
I don't remember reading a thing about this movie when it originally appeared, and that's odd because I enjoy Gwyneth Paltrow's work. I caught up with it on DVD, and I thought it was a superior movie with an extremely interesting premise and splendid performances by Paltrow's co-stars. Without giving too much away, the film deals with two separate scenarios that evolve from Paltow's (a) catching or (b) missing a subway train. The director manages skillfully to lay the two stories down alongside one another without confusing either one. Although the two Paltrows are distinguished by different hair styles, even that isn't really necessary. She (becomes) happy in one story, desperately unhappy in the other. She succeeds (eventually) in one story, fails in the other. She is the same character but entirely different. As she proved in "Shakespeare in Love," this girl can act. There aren't many films where chance causes alternate fates that are followed through to a rather surprising end. Worth seeing for that reason alone. Plus Gwyneth Paltrow, of course.
What a difference a few seconds can make?
Old Joe28 April 2004
The romantic comedy, 'Sliding Doors', is a great look at how quickly a person's life can change in a matter of moments. By taking one path instead of another, forming a tantalizing 'what if?' In fact this movie gives the impression that some things are meant to be known, while some things are not.
London publicists Helen, is effortlessly sliding between parallel storylines that show what happens if she does or does not catch a morning train back to her apartment. Love. Romantic entanglements. Deception. Trust. Friendship. Comedy. All come into focus back and forth, overlap, then surprisingly converge in one of the great romantic comedy films in years.
Sliding doors is one of the best films that Gwyneth Paltrow has done. It has it all, humour, anger, sadness, love, compassion and a lot of lying. This movie is most special for the way the two storylines overlap, making this a very original movie. Paltrow's performance is grand as the 'hurt Helen' or the very 'naïve Helen', depending on which parts of the film you are watching. Some of her lines are priceless. Paltrow has had a very celebrated career in acting and of late singing and deserves all the accolades she gets. It was also refreshing to watch her in the murder thriller 'The perfect murder', along with screen legend Michael Douglas.
Yet there are some other great performances in this film. John Hannah was exceptional as the sensitive and understanding 'James', who is helping the 'hurt Helen' back to being her 'old self'. Then you have the cheating boy 'Jerry' played by John Lynch, who was using the 'naïve Helen' to live out a very adulterous and selfish lifestyle. It was very funny to see the way he handled the situation with Helen actually. Then to top it all off, we get a great performance from Jeanne Tripplehorn, who was Jerry's girlfriend on the side, who gives Jerry a very difficult time in both parts of the story.
This film also has an impressive soundtrack. With acts like Blair, the Brand New Heavies, Dodgy, Jamiroquai and the Space Monkeys. Yet there are two very famous parts to this soundtrack. One is Elton John, who is given a bad mention in the movie, when Jerry is caught in a most precarious of positions while playing the Elton John song, 'Honky Cat'. However the best song on the whole soundtrack comes from the band Aqua, with the tune 'Turn Back Time', which suited the film perfectly. The film clip to this song is also very good.
Sliding doors is one of those feel good movies, which can also make you feel sad as well. It shows how difficult life can be in a relationship and how important relationships can be as well. It also proves that relationships are extremely hard work and you need to find someone who you trust and love and that you get the same feelings back in return. If you want to see the good and bad sides of love take a look at this romantic classic.
CMRS gives 'Sliding Doors': 4.5 (Very Good- Brilliant Film)
London publicists Helen, is effortlessly sliding between parallel storylines that show what happens if she does or does not catch a morning train back to her apartment. Love. Romantic entanglements. Deception. Trust. Friendship. Comedy. All come into focus back and forth, overlap, then surprisingly converge in one of the great romantic comedy films in years.
Sliding doors is one of the best films that Gwyneth Paltrow has done. It has it all, humour, anger, sadness, love, compassion and a lot of lying. This movie is most special for the way the two storylines overlap, making this a very original movie. Paltrow's performance is grand as the 'hurt Helen' or the very 'naïve Helen', depending on which parts of the film you are watching. Some of her lines are priceless. Paltrow has had a very celebrated career in acting and of late singing and deserves all the accolades she gets. It was also refreshing to watch her in the murder thriller 'The perfect murder', along with screen legend Michael Douglas.
Yet there are some other great performances in this film. John Hannah was exceptional as the sensitive and understanding 'James', who is helping the 'hurt Helen' back to being her 'old self'. Then you have the cheating boy 'Jerry' played by John Lynch, who was using the 'naïve Helen' to live out a very adulterous and selfish lifestyle. It was very funny to see the way he handled the situation with Helen actually. Then to top it all off, we get a great performance from Jeanne Tripplehorn, who was Jerry's girlfriend on the side, who gives Jerry a very difficult time in both parts of the story.
This film also has an impressive soundtrack. With acts like Blair, the Brand New Heavies, Dodgy, Jamiroquai and the Space Monkeys. Yet there are two very famous parts to this soundtrack. One is Elton John, who is given a bad mention in the movie, when Jerry is caught in a most precarious of positions while playing the Elton John song, 'Honky Cat'. However the best song on the whole soundtrack comes from the band Aqua, with the tune 'Turn Back Time', which suited the film perfectly. The film clip to this song is also very good.
Sliding doors is one of those feel good movies, which can also make you feel sad as well. It shows how difficult life can be in a relationship and how important relationships can be as well. It also proves that relationships are extremely hard work and you need to find someone who you trust and love and that you get the same feelings back in return. If you want to see the good and bad sides of love take a look at this romantic classic.
CMRS gives 'Sliding Doors': 4.5 (Very Good- Brilliant Film)
An enjoyable, romantic comedy.
Sleepin_Dragon5 December 2021
S!icing Doors is a very sweet, moving, almost charming comedy, it's a smashing what if story, what if you just made a small change, never caught a train, how would your life go, this film tells that story.
It's hard not to empathise with Helen, she's a sweet character, well meaning, and on the receiving end of a selfish, scheming partner. Paltrow does a cracking job here, made at a time when her popularity was pretty huge, John Hannah perhaps steals it for me.
It has more humour than I remember, there are several laughs throughout, it's good to see how good Paltrow's timing is.
I really did enjoy the soundtrack, some cracking songs, including Aqua's Turn back time, what a difference to Barbie Girl.
7/10.
It's hard not to empathise with Helen, she's a sweet character, well meaning, and on the receiving end of a selfish, scheming partner. Paltrow does a cracking job here, made at a time when her popularity was pretty huge, John Hannah perhaps steals it for me.
It has more humour than I remember, there are several laughs throughout, it's good to see how good Paltrow's timing is.
I really did enjoy the soundtrack, some cracking songs, including Aqua's Turn back time, what a difference to Barbie Girl.
7/10.
Clever idea, nicely implemented
jasonz4226 February 2004
This had always been one of my ideas for a film- a slight change in something creates two parallell lives led by the same character, and as the film progresses you see how those lives split further apart and differ just because of that small change. It's a fantastic idea and it was nicely taken on my the producers, although in general a film like this is always limited. It was fun to watch, but not funny, despite it being marked as a comedy. I found it more of an interest than a laugh, which is fine, but not what it aimed to be primarily.
Nevertheless, it was flaweless in the sense that there was nothing boring throughougt, although there was nothing that particulalry stood out apart perhaps from the interesting ending, but other than that it is reasonably easy to forget. Good for a rental, hats off for attempting to tackle a difficult storyline, but the doors are sliding for this to be forgotten in 5 years time. (omg my cheesy endings get worse every time :P)
Nevertheless, it was flaweless in the sense that there was nothing boring throughougt, although there was nothing that particulalry stood out apart perhaps from the interesting ending, but other than that it is reasonably easy to forget. Good for a rental, hats off for attempting to tackle a difficult storyline, but the doors are sliding for this to be forgotten in 5 years time. (omg my cheesy endings get worse every time :P)
Miss the train, miss the point?
paul2001sw-18 December 2002
In Kieslowski's 'Short Film About Love', two characters see their bus on the other side of the square. The woman turns to the boy. "If we catch it, you come back to mine. If not, not". Kieslowski shows how chance determines the pattern of our lives through the simple expedient of having his characters embrace it.
Sliding Doors, a moderately diverting rom-com, start from a similar premise. Gwynneth Paltrow either catches or misses a train; and, in parallel tracks we switch between thereafter, her life forks down two separate paths. In one, she is stuck with her terminally useless boyfriend; in the other, she meets Mr. Wonderful, and starts to look forward to "happy ever after". The idea is fresh, but slightly self-defeating: we never know "what if", in life, there are no second chances, and so Paltrow's character is hard to truly care for; like Lara Croft, she is rendered invulnerable (and hence slightly inhuman) through the curse of having too many lives. The resemblance, however, does not extend to matters anatomical: stick-thin Platrow does the least impressive impersonation of a pregnant woman ever seen.
Her English accent is also bizarre; passable in Emma, here she tries for lower-class, sounding like a well-spoken Australian with a weird affectation for glottal stops and a slightly over-liberal use of very English swear words. One would ask why they cast her, if it wasn't depressingly obvious (the presence of a second American in the cast points clearly at an English film cynically engineered to be an international hit).
But it's always lively viewing, and worth an extra point for a nicely arranged ending, which makes the most of the slightly thin material that has preceded it.
Sliding Doors, a moderately diverting rom-com, start from a similar premise. Gwynneth Paltrow either catches or misses a train; and, in parallel tracks we switch between thereafter, her life forks down two separate paths. In one, she is stuck with her terminally useless boyfriend; in the other, she meets Mr. Wonderful, and starts to look forward to "happy ever after". The idea is fresh, but slightly self-defeating: we never know "what if", in life, there are no second chances, and so Paltrow's character is hard to truly care for; like Lara Croft, she is rendered invulnerable (and hence slightly inhuman) through the curse of having too many lives. The resemblance, however, does not extend to matters anatomical: stick-thin Platrow does the least impressive impersonation of a pregnant woman ever seen.
Her English accent is also bizarre; passable in Emma, here she tries for lower-class, sounding like a well-spoken Australian with a weird affectation for glottal stops and a slightly over-liberal use of very English swear words. One would ask why they cast her, if it wasn't depressingly obvious (the presence of a second American in the cast points clearly at an English film cynically engineered to be an international hit).
But it's always lively viewing, and worth an extra point for a nicely arranged ending, which makes the most of the slightly thin material that has preceded it.
Disappointed of Brussels
winstonfg21 May 2010
After seeing this movie, I had to go and look up how tall Gwyneth Paltrow is, because it's the first time I've watched a film and thought "my God, this girl is bigger than *both* her boyfriends". Not that there's anything particularly terrible about that; the trouble is, the problems don't end there.
Which is a pity, since it had a good idea and a hell of a cast; just not the right one, unfortunately.
Take Gwyneth Paltrow's accent: For an American, she does a damn good job of "English"; the thing is, an English actress would have done so much better. We're also better at dowdy, and this film needed someone who could scrub up well. Ms. P is just too glamorous. Honeysuckle Weeks would have been my choice, but I'm biased.
Next, there is the "device": Used waay too soon (about 3 minutes in, as I recall), so we get no chance to see what GP's life was like before the fateful split and introduce some of the other characters. It also seemed to me they could have used more techniques (split-screen, double exposure or simply quick cuts) to keep the two narratives in sync. There is really only one point where the two halves are brought together before the conclusion.
Third: The blokes. The script is definitely to blame here, because both Johns are very good actors. Unfortunately, Lynch seemed awfully wimpy for a chap juggling two gorgeous gals; and Hannah comes across as a bit forced. The exception is Douglas McFerran, who was spot on as Russell, and gave me my few genuine laughs of the movie.
Fourth: Oh dear, Hollywood does like its packages done up with nice pink ribbon doesn't it? Guess I should've been a scriptwriter, because I can think of at least 3 endings that would have been better than the one they chose.
All that said, it's not a terrible movie; just not as good as I'd hoped. Look up the definition of a curate's egg and you'll probably find it mentioned -- and if you want to see a better film on a similar theme, check out "The Man with Rain in his Shoes" (on this side of the pond, it's called "If only").
6/10.
Which is a pity, since it had a good idea and a hell of a cast; just not the right one, unfortunately.
Take Gwyneth Paltrow's accent: For an American, she does a damn good job of "English"; the thing is, an English actress would have done so much better. We're also better at dowdy, and this film needed someone who could scrub up well. Ms. P is just too glamorous. Honeysuckle Weeks would have been my choice, but I'm biased.
Next, there is the "device": Used waay too soon (about 3 minutes in, as I recall), so we get no chance to see what GP's life was like before the fateful split and introduce some of the other characters. It also seemed to me they could have used more techniques (split-screen, double exposure or simply quick cuts) to keep the two narratives in sync. There is really only one point where the two halves are brought together before the conclusion.
Third: The blokes. The script is definitely to blame here, because both Johns are very good actors. Unfortunately, Lynch seemed awfully wimpy for a chap juggling two gorgeous gals; and Hannah comes across as a bit forced. The exception is Douglas McFerran, who was spot on as Russell, and gave me my few genuine laughs of the movie.
Fourth: Oh dear, Hollywood does like its packages done up with nice pink ribbon doesn't it? Guess I should've been a scriptwriter, because I can think of at least 3 endings that would have been better than the one they chose.
All that said, it's not a terrible movie; just not as good as I'd hoped. Look up the definition of a curate's egg and you'll probably find it mentioned -- and if you want to see a better film on a similar theme, check out "The Man with Rain in his Shoes" (on this side of the pond, it's called "If only").
6/10.
A lovely movie
JudithMHunt26 May 2008
I have probably watched this movie about 10 times since its release and still enjoy its twists and turns. John Hannah is simply adorable as James and his Glaswegian sense of humour still makes me laugh out loud even though I know the jokes in advance. Every performance is great but Gwynyth Paltrow deserves a special mention for her faultless role as two different versions of the same woman at once. Without giving anything away, I did not see the ending coming at all the first time through but it was entirely satisfying without being cloyingly Hollywood. Don't expect a cultural masterpiece. Just 'the Spanish inquisition' and some fine entertainment. Highly recommended
Enjoyable but flimsy
dierregi29 April 2020
I remember enjoying this bizarre plot when I first saw the movie, but even then I found a main issue that seems even more glaring after all these years.
Paltrow is Helen, a great looking girl with a job in PR who gets fired and must rearrange her life. Helen lives with Gerry, a charisma-free slob who's allegedly writing a novel, while "shagging" an American ex-lover behind Helen's back.
On her way home Helen contemporaneously misses and catches the underground, therefore following two separate paths: in the first she gets home late, doesn't discover Gerry cheating, works two jobs in catering and is more or less miserable until she discovers she's pregnant.
In the second, she finds Gerry cheating, moves in with a girlfriend, dates James, gets one of the most awful haircuts ever, opens her PR firm and discovers she's pregnant.
The two paths merge again at the hospital, where only one Helen gets a chance to go on with her life.
The main issue is that both Gerry and James are not attractive and Helen is way out of their league. It's impossible to understand why Helen is keeping Gerry as a live-in, do-nothing, unreliable lover and even more impossible to figure out why another woman is chasing after him.
James is an insecure chatterbox, the type who needs to make a joke out of every sentence. His continuous blabbering is annoying and not very endearing.
Still an enjoyable little movie with a clever open ending.
Paltrow is Helen, a great looking girl with a job in PR who gets fired and must rearrange her life. Helen lives with Gerry, a charisma-free slob who's allegedly writing a novel, while "shagging" an American ex-lover behind Helen's back.
On her way home Helen contemporaneously misses and catches the underground, therefore following two separate paths: in the first she gets home late, doesn't discover Gerry cheating, works two jobs in catering and is more or less miserable until she discovers she's pregnant.
In the second, she finds Gerry cheating, moves in with a girlfriend, dates James, gets one of the most awful haircuts ever, opens her PR firm and discovers she's pregnant.
The two paths merge again at the hospital, where only one Helen gets a chance to go on with her life.
The main issue is that both Gerry and James are not attractive and Helen is way out of their league. It's impossible to understand why Helen is keeping Gerry as a live-in, do-nothing, unreliable lover and even more impossible to figure out why another woman is chasing after him.
James is an insecure chatterbox, the type who needs to make a joke out of every sentence. His continuous blabbering is annoying and not very endearing.
Still an enjoyable little movie with a clever open ending.
Interesting idea, but only half the film it could be.
soymilk25 October 2004
Warning: Spoilers
I remember when 'Sliding Doors' first came out, back in 1998. It was one of the movies that I desperately wanted to see but, for some unknown reason, never got round to watching. It must've been on terrestrial TV at least three times before I was finally able to catch it. I'd heard good things, knew the premise pretty well, and had even seen a few brief clips of the movie in between. In my mind, I'd formed some pretty high expectations over the years - and the only thing you can inevitably get for that is disappointment. It was almost like looking at a dot-to-dot puzzle and being intrigued by the position of the dots but then discovering, once I had joined them together, that they make up one pretty darn mundane picture.
This movie's biggest problem comes in just assuming that its 'alternate reality' story-telling device, intriguing though it may be, will do everything else for it. And true, it does help to 'shake up' what would otherwise be a brace of very dull and clichéd panoramas - we keep watching out of pure curiosity, simply to see how things end up. And once I'd discovered that, personally I ceased to care. One of the reasons why 'Sliding Doors' isn't a movie I would ever particularly want to own is because its novelty value has already gone down the drain by the second viewing. Not a great deal really happens drama-wise, and there isn't much comedy to help it along either.
I still prefer this non-linear film to the more recent '21 Grams', perhaps because, by comparison, this is refreshingly unpretentious as an experimental movie. It's perfectly contented with its simplicity, which to some extent is quite pleasant, but, unfortunately, equally as happy to be shallow, and that it never attempts to dig especially deep proves a real downer in the end. It never claims to be a film about life, with anything particularly meaningful to say - it's a film about *a* life, or at least two possible versions of it, just not a very interesting one at that. I'm pretty certain that both scenarios presented here have already been used several times over as soap opera subplots - and they really are much too thin to be described as anything other than two subplots played against each other in the hope that they will make a substantial story in union. In truth, each scenario is just a quarter - and together all they make is a half.
Gwyenth Paltrow earns points for trying, but no amount of effort can redeem the fact that Helen is as 2D as both her stories. She never emerges as a particularly strong or well-defined character, and I was never inclined to root for her in either case (to see Patlrow in a leagues more engaging role, check 'Shakespeare in Love'). The only thing I'm really left with to recommend is John Hannah. His cheery mannerisms and the charismatic feel he gives to James do help make him the sweet breath of fresh air he is clearly meant to be, and if they had to go with this whole Mr Perfect routine, I'm glad they enlisted him - he adds a warm lustre to what otherwise would be an empty and superficial film.
Meanwhile, John Lynch is simultaneously one of the movie's biggest assets *and* biggest errors. Under different circumstances, I would be praising *exactly the same performance* right up there with Hannah's. Unfortunately, that heartfelt and amiable portrayal is kinda wasted in context with everything else, and only serves as a glaring reminder of what the movie could've been - a straightforward but insightful character study with a 'twists and turns of life' backdrop. Essentially, Gerry is portrayed as a dishonest, cheating but ultimately good-natured and well-intentioned character - we the viewers are treated to glimpses of his side of the story (which, frankly, is a lot more interesting than Helen's) and actually begin to feel for him. It is his moral dilemma in both scenarios, not Helen's knowledge/lack of knowledge, that, coupled with his flawed personality, form the real interest of this movie - there are times when I even wondered if the whole Helen thing was just meant to be a smokescreen to the *real* story about Gerry (I mean, look at the lyrics of the soundtrack's key number, 'Turn Back Time' by Aqua - surely they pertain better to Gerry than to Helen).
Unfortunately, BOTH lifelines end with Gerry being rather quickly and cruelly cast aside. It's only then that it kinda dawns on you - it may have an unconventional format, but this is still very much a traditional fairytale outlook, and it was probably never the creative team's intention that we would feel pity for Gerry. It settles for viewing him as the villainous antagonist (if you ask me, Lydia is the only personage who could possibly fit that bill) and is happy to treat him as one, no matter how much sympathetic life Lynch has since injected into the character. It leaves you feeling kinda cold and unsatisfied, so much so that it effectively nullifies those last few feel-good moments. True, James is a lovely bloke, the sort that every heterosexual girl on the planet wishes she could end up with - but it was Gerry who struck me as being the most human (and NOT because he's unfaithful - but because of how he deals with the realisation that he was unfaithful). Lynch appears to have picked up on this. The writers clearly didn't, and they got their priorities way wrong.
And the moral of this movie - erm, missing your initial mode of transport isn't necessarily as bad as at first it might seem?
Go figure. Like I said, it's about a life, not life.
This movie's biggest problem comes in just assuming that its 'alternate reality' story-telling device, intriguing though it may be, will do everything else for it. And true, it does help to 'shake up' what would otherwise be a brace of very dull and clichéd panoramas - we keep watching out of pure curiosity, simply to see how things end up. And once I'd discovered that, personally I ceased to care. One of the reasons why 'Sliding Doors' isn't a movie I would ever particularly want to own is because its novelty value has already gone down the drain by the second viewing. Not a great deal really happens drama-wise, and there isn't much comedy to help it along either.
I still prefer this non-linear film to the more recent '21 Grams', perhaps because, by comparison, this is refreshingly unpretentious as an experimental movie. It's perfectly contented with its simplicity, which to some extent is quite pleasant, but, unfortunately, equally as happy to be shallow, and that it never attempts to dig especially deep proves a real downer in the end. It never claims to be a film about life, with anything particularly meaningful to say - it's a film about *a* life, or at least two possible versions of it, just not a very interesting one at that. I'm pretty certain that both scenarios presented here have already been used several times over as soap opera subplots - and they really are much too thin to be described as anything other than two subplots played against each other in the hope that they will make a substantial story in union. In truth, each scenario is just a quarter - and together all they make is a half.
Gwyenth Paltrow earns points for trying, but no amount of effort can redeem the fact that Helen is as 2D as both her stories. She never emerges as a particularly strong or well-defined character, and I was never inclined to root for her in either case (to see Patlrow in a leagues more engaging role, check 'Shakespeare in Love'). The only thing I'm really left with to recommend is John Hannah. His cheery mannerisms and the charismatic feel he gives to James do help make him the sweet breath of fresh air he is clearly meant to be, and if they had to go with this whole Mr Perfect routine, I'm glad they enlisted him - he adds a warm lustre to what otherwise would be an empty and superficial film.
Meanwhile, John Lynch is simultaneously one of the movie's biggest assets *and* biggest errors. Under different circumstances, I would be praising *exactly the same performance* right up there with Hannah's. Unfortunately, that heartfelt and amiable portrayal is kinda wasted in context with everything else, and only serves as a glaring reminder of what the movie could've been - a straightforward but insightful character study with a 'twists and turns of life' backdrop. Essentially, Gerry is portrayed as a dishonest, cheating but ultimately good-natured and well-intentioned character - we the viewers are treated to glimpses of his side of the story (which, frankly, is a lot more interesting than Helen's) and actually begin to feel for him. It is his moral dilemma in both scenarios, not Helen's knowledge/lack of knowledge, that, coupled with his flawed personality, form the real interest of this movie - there are times when I even wondered if the whole Helen thing was just meant to be a smokescreen to the *real* story about Gerry (I mean, look at the lyrics of the soundtrack's key number, 'Turn Back Time' by Aqua - surely they pertain better to Gerry than to Helen).
Unfortunately, BOTH lifelines end with Gerry being rather quickly and cruelly cast aside. It's only then that it kinda dawns on you - it may have an unconventional format, but this is still very much a traditional fairytale outlook, and it was probably never the creative team's intention that we would feel pity for Gerry. It settles for viewing him as the villainous antagonist (if you ask me, Lydia is the only personage who could possibly fit that bill) and is happy to treat him as one, no matter how much sympathetic life Lynch has since injected into the character. It leaves you feeling kinda cold and unsatisfied, so much so that it effectively nullifies those last few feel-good moments. True, James is a lovely bloke, the sort that every heterosexual girl on the planet wishes she could end up with - but it was Gerry who struck me as being the most human (and NOT because he's unfaithful - but because of how he deals with the realisation that he was unfaithful). Lynch appears to have picked up on this. The writers clearly didn't, and they got their priorities way wrong.
And the moral of this movie - erm, missing your initial mode of transport isn't necessarily as bad as at first it might seem?
Go figure. Like I said, it's about a life, not life.
Undoubtedly one of my favourite films
mjw23052 February 2005
Gwyneth Paltrow plays Helen Quilley, she works in Public Relations and is dating an idiot who is cheating on her (come on guys, would you?) After losing her job she heads home early, and the film then follows two Parallel realities, that cross over and intertwine in a very clever manner, that adds a great deal to the movies quality.
One way, she gets home and finds him cheating, and the other way she is mugged and her boyfriend gets away with it, at least for now.
In this wonderfully charming romantic comedy, great performances from, Paltrow, Lynch, Hannah and Tripplehorn plus a good script and some good laughs all add up to a movie i simply don't tire of. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, i just love it.
9/10 and a must for Paltrow Fans
One way, she gets home and finds him cheating, and the other way she is mugged and her boyfriend gets away with it, at least for now.
In this wonderfully charming romantic comedy, great performances from, Paltrow, Lynch, Hannah and Tripplehorn plus a good script and some good laughs all add up to a movie i simply don't tire of. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, i just love it.
9/10 and a must for Paltrow Fans
The butterfly effect.
SamJamie25 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Sliding Doors is a 1998 romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Howitt and starring Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah, while also featuring John Lynch, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Virginia McKenna. The film alternates between two storylines, showing two paths the central character's life could take depending on whether or not she catches a train.
I won't lie, this film has one of the most intriguing plots I've read in a long time. The film flows between two alternate timelines, one where the lead catches her train and the other she doesn't. Gwyneth is a likeable lead as Helen but her husband is a babbling, schizophrenic irritating character as is her alternate love interest, a complete annoyance of a character, constantly quoting Monty Python in one too many scenes, which gets old fast.
With two unlikable love interests I found the film gets a little bogged down in the middle to end, Helen takes far too long in the alternate universe to realise her husband is cheating and not enough time is spent on the repercussions of this. The film also relies far too much on outdated and cheesy romantic-comedy clichés with an eye-rolling inducing scene in the last half of her and the love interest arguing in the rain.
Sliding Doors is not a bad film by any means but I wish either timeline went in a slightly different and more engaging direction. I found the film wasn't as gripping as it thought it was and relied too much on stale tropes of the genre. A good performance from Gwen and the film almost won me back with "Thank You" by Dido playing over the credits, but it was too late. It's worth a look, but I won't be going in for another watch.
I won't lie, this film has one of the most intriguing plots I've read in a long time. The film flows between two alternate timelines, one where the lead catches her train and the other she doesn't. Gwyneth is a likeable lead as Helen but her husband is a babbling, schizophrenic irritating character as is her alternate love interest, a complete annoyance of a character, constantly quoting Monty Python in one too many scenes, which gets old fast.
With two unlikable love interests I found the film gets a little bogged down in the middle to end, Helen takes far too long in the alternate universe to realise her husband is cheating and not enough time is spent on the repercussions of this. The film also relies far too much on outdated and cheesy romantic-comedy clichés with an eye-rolling inducing scene in the last half of her and the love interest arguing in the rain.
Sliding Doors is not a bad film by any means but I wish either timeline went in a slightly different and more engaging direction. I found the film wasn't as gripping as it thought it was and relied too much on stale tropes of the genre. A good performance from Gwen and the film almost won me back with "Thank You" by Dido playing over the credits, but it was too late. It's worth a look, but I won't be going in for another watch.
Highly overrated romance.
EnvyYouProductions29 December 2000
If you don't like Gwynneth Paltrow, you shouldn't watch this movie anyway. If you like Gwynneth Paltrow, you probably will like the film. You will forgive her the annoying 110 per cent wannbe real British accent. You will forgive the film that it doesn't know what to do with the set-up, which - to be fair - is rather clever. It's another "what if" premise, only this time you see two different realities unfold at the same time and the audience watches two possible chain of events parallel. But the trouble is, the filmmakers don't know how to tie both stories together again, and eventually come up with a feeble solution. Another flaw of the film is, that it is inhabited by unlikable characters. Only John Hannah stands out as Paltrows new love interest - in one of the storylines. So do yourself a favour and watch him in FOUR WEDDINGS, and her in MR RIPLEY. You'll have a better time.
Though life is like a sliding door, it closes one end but opens the other. the result is much alike.
crisp_morning_200423 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Sliding doors is a film about fate in a woman's love life. "Fate" is Yuan Fen in Chinese.
Arriving at work one morning, Helen found herself unjustifiably sacked from her PR job. When she headed back down to the tube, life was spit into two realities.Helen was about to live both of them.
In one reality, she caught the tube train. On her way home, she came across a guy named James who was impressed by her casual elegance at the first sight. She got home earlier than usual, only to find her Lothario boyfriend Gerry in bed with his ex-girlfriend, Lydia. So she went to the bar to drink down her sorrows of being sacked and cheated. There she met James again. Though at first, she demurred. But soon she recognized James began to be endeared to her by his sense of humor and being very concerted. They fell in love with each other. her boyfriend wanted to win Helen back. She was in a dilemma. But soon she found that Lydia and Gerry still dated each other on the sly and was over him totally. What a disaster it was when she detected that James was a married man. Everything got clear by the end of the film. They hugged each other again. Helen wanted to make a call to her best friend Anna to relieve her worry about her. Just at the moment, a trunk ran into her. She was sent to hospital and miscarried the baby she had with James. James was quite regretful. He whispered at Helen that he would give happiness to her all his life. The ending is quite soothing.
In the other reality, she missed the tube and got mugged. When arrived home, finding his bf in a shower. And continued the relationship. She got two part-time jobs as a food deliverer and a bar maid Things got doubtful. Gerry seemed nervous and worried in fear of being detected his torrid relationship with Lydia. He found Lydia was quite demanding. And Helen began to be skeptical. He couldn't balance between them. One day, Helen got a new offer and went there to have the interview, only to find her boyfriend was there too with her would-be boss Lydia. She rushed down stairs, in the struggling with her bf, she fell down and was sent to the same hospital at the same time as the Helen did in the first scenario. She miscarried and was over her bf completely. She went out the ward, went into the lift. A guy named James happened to see his mother in hospital and on the same lift. She dropped the earring. James picked it up for her. They stared each other as if they met some time ago when Helen said "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition" which was James's favorite quote on the above situation.
It seems fate has been predetermined, especially in love matters. No matter u miss the tube or not, u will meet James, the man who will fall in love with u. No matter u meet James or not, U will find your bf's affairs with Lydia.. Though life is like a sliding door, it closes one end but opens the other. the result is much alike.
Arriving at work one morning, Helen found herself unjustifiably sacked from her PR job. When she headed back down to the tube, life was spit into two realities.Helen was about to live both of them.
In one reality, she caught the tube train. On her way home, she came across a guy named James who was impressed by her casual elegance at the first sight. She got home earlier than usual, only to find her Lothario boyfriend Gerry in bed with his ex-girlfriend, Lydia. So she went to the bar to drink down her sorrows of being sacked and cheated. There she met James again. Though at first, she demurred. But soon she recognized James began to be endeared to her by his sense of humor and being very concerted. They fell in love with each other. her boyfriend wanted to win Helen back. She was in a dilemma. But soon she found that Lydia and Gerry still dated each other on the sly and was over him totally. What a disaster it was when she detected that James was a married man. Everything got clear by the end of the film. They hugged each other again. Helen wanted to make a call to her best friend Anna to relieve her worry about her. Just at the moment, a trunk ran into her. She was sent to hospital and miscarried the baby she had with James. James was quite regretful. He whispered at Helen that he would give happiness to her all his life. The ending is quite soothing.
In the other reality, she missed the tube and got mugged. When arrived home, finding his bf in a shower. And continued the relationship. She got two part-time jobs as a food deliverer and a bar maid Things got doubtful. Gerry seemed nervous and worried in fear of being detected his torrid relationship with Lydia. He found Lydia was quite demanding. And Helen began to be skeptical. He couldn't balance between them. One day, Helen got a new offer and went there to have the interview, only to find her boyfriend was there too with her would-be boss Lydia. She rushed down stairs, in the struggling with her bf, she fell down and was sent to the same hospital at the same time as the Helen did in the first scenario. She miscarried and was over her bf completely. She went out the ward, went into the lift. A guy named James happened to see his mother in hospital and on the same lift. She dropped the earring. James picked it up for her. They stared each other as if they met some time ago when Helen said "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition" which was James's favorite quote on the above situation.
It seems fate has been predetermined, especially in love matters. No matter u miss the tube or not, u will meet James, the man who will fall in love with u. No matter u meet James or not, U will find your bf's affairs with Lydia.. Though life is like a sliding door, it closes one end but opens the other. the result is much alike.
Intelligent "double-drama"
khatcher-220 June 2004
Totally implausible situation, but nicely handled here by Peter Howitt. Even though Gwyneth Paltrow is far from being among my favourites, here she puts in quite a sincere performance.
What if? Based on a hypothetical situation, Helen's life goes two different ways. If she had caught that train......... if she had missed it.............. This film follows her misfortunes in both cases, intelligently switching back and forth between her two parallel lives. And it is precisely the clever way in which the films handles the hypothetical that it scores and keeps you following the outcome.
Well supported by the rest of the cast; the film twists and double twists, requiring much attention from the viewer, otherwise you will just miss out on where the story is going. Interesting denouément.
What if? Based on a hypothetical situation, Helen's life goes two different ways. If she had caught that train......... if she had missed it.............. This film follows her misfortunes in both cases, intelligently switching back and forth between her two parallel lives. And it is precisely the clever way in which the films handles the hypothetical that it scores and keeps you following the outcome.
Well supported by the rest of the cast; the film twists and double twists, requiring much attention from the viewer, otherwise you will just miss out on where the story is going. Interesting denouément.
Intriguing although not fully successful nor fully original
mark.hudson7 December 2002
A competent treatment of a dual worlds or dual time lines plot - not as common as you might suspect in the movies although well explored in literature at varying levels of seriousness. Particularly enjoyable for those who lived through London in the Nineties as it rings true for most of those aspects of the setting. However, not entirely successful since, for a mainstream film, it is pretty obscure on the topic of what is really happening. I wonder how many of the audience have noticed that Sliding Doors is very strongly derived from The Double Life Of Veronique? Yet, given that "Veronique" is an "art house" film, and that, just like Sliding Doors, it technically leaves open the fundamental questions about the logic of the parallel worlds, "Veronique" curiously seems much clearer in its treatment of the time slip logic. Paltrow looks terrific and Hannah's lines are genuinely smart and funny.
Living by the grace of God!
Sherazade19 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
A young woman's (played by Gwyneth Paltrow in her best British character role to date) life is impacted by the few seconds that occur between her missing her routine morning train and her making it. The film shows us the two sides of her life as they alternately exist, the woman who misses the train and the woman who makes it. One goes back home to find that her live-in boyfriend is having an affair and this changes her life, while the one who makes the train goes to work as usual and does not find out about the affair. Note to first time watchers: don't get too attached to either woman too much because as you may know about cases of Doppelgangers, they don't end well.
Ever wondered about Fate and "what if?"- then this film is for you!
the amorphousmachine21 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Admittedly, Peter Howitt's debut film in 'Sliding Doors' would have showed a lot of promise of cosmic proportions- however, 'Johnny English'? Regardless, his debut film is a low-key dual story about fate and parallel dimensions is vastly charming with one strong female lead in Gwenyth Paltow (sporting two different haircuts so the viewer can spot the difference), as well as two strong supporting performances from the likable and funny John Hannah, as the surprising likable John Lynch as the philandering, indecisive guilt-ridden novelist. Some of the most hilarious scenes are between Lynch's character in Gerry telling his boozy pal about the turn of events, whilst his pal laughs his butt off at him.
Howitt's manages to give each story an equal amount of time, and I believe the viewer is invested in both outcomes. We all wonder about the "what ifs", and it usually relates to relationships. There is a universal theme of fate in this film that I quite liked, even if I don't quite believe in it. The main problem with the dual stories; is that, one of them gets a hopeful ending, while the other closes on sadder note- as if to suggest that the two characters weren't meant to meet prior to the ending. There are nice little touches throughout the movie's dual realities to show that similar things do happen in sequence. For instance, Helen is walking by the lake with her friend, obsessed by a brandy glass whilst James in canoeing in the background in one story, while in the other, Helen is cheering for James' as he canoes. The film clever plants that pathways can cross more than once!
I think 'Sliding Doors' is an underrated little film, and while it certainly lacks in ending one of the stories, it has great performances from Paltrow, Hannah and Lynch and a very good script- underlining the merits of relationships and chance plays a part in changing the circumstances of it. I liked the fact Gerry was given sufficient depth in both versions of his tale, and he was quite comedic in hiding his affairs. All in all, 'Sliding Doors' handles it's themes of fate admirably for one it's twins, and handles it better than 'The Lake House'. Definitely worth seeing! Even twice!
A solidly high ***½ out of *****!
Howitt's manages to give each story an equal amount of time, and I believe the viewer is invested in both outcomes. We all wonder about the "what ifs", and it usually relates to relationships. There is a universal theme of fate in this film that I quite liked, even if I don't quite believe in it. The main problem with the dual stories; is that, one of them gets a hopeful ending, while the other closes on sadder note- as if to suggest that the two characters weren't meant to meet prior to the ending. There are nice little touches throughout the movie's dual realities to show that similar things do happen in sequence. For instance, Helen is walking by the lake with her friend, obsessed by a brandy glass whilst James in canoeing in the background in one story, while in the other, Helen is cheering for James' as he canoes. The film clever plants that pathways can cross more than once!
I think 'Sliding Doors' is an underrated little film, and while it certainly lacks in ending one of the stories, it has great performances from Paltrow, Hannah and Lynch and a very good script- underlining the merits of relationships and chance plays a part in changing the circumstances of it. I liked the fact Gerry was given sufficient depth in both versions of his tale, and he was quite comedic in hiding his affairs. All in all, 'Sliding Doors' handles it's themes of fate admirably for one it's twins, and handles it better than 'The Lake House'. Definitely worth seeing! Even twice!
A solidly high ***½ out of *****!
excellent movie
willoz20 February 2006
This genuinely lovely film was such a pleasure to watch.The charters were well written and so different from each other which blended well in the film,and the chemistry between the main actors John and Gwyneth was evident which helps a great deal when playing out a love story.The acting was very well done and Gwyneth's accent superb-let's face it so many actors have tried and gotten it terribly wrong.I thought John Hannah Was brilliant in this movie and any warm blooded woman like myself fell in love with him immediately,and subsequently yelled "kiss him Helen" at the screen-or was that just me?And as for Russell-he has without a doubt the funniest laugh in a movie ever-a pee my self laughing at all of his scenes.The only qualms I had with this movie was that i found the Helen misses the train parts of the film quite dull-I would've happily watched a film with just the progressive and eventual relationship with James and Helen.
John Hannah definitely stole the show though and I'm sure amassed a league of female fans.If you do fancy the pants off him as i do then you must see him in the film 'circus'.phwoaah he is soooo sexy in it and its a great film with loads of twists to its plot.
John Hannah definitely stole the show though and I'm sure amassed a league of female fans.If you do fancy the pants off him as i do then you must see him in the film 'circus'.phwoaah he is soooo sexy in it and its a great film with loads of twists to its plot.
Clever, well acted
vincentlynch-moonoi21 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This film could have been told along two different plot lines. Instead, they cleverly told the story along both plot lines...a sort of "what if" approach. I always give films extra points when they do something different...and this is a different kind of film. As we move back and forth between the two possible plot lines, sometimes it gets just a little confusing...at least briefly...which plot line are we in now? But that never lasts long.
This is also very much a film dependent on strong performances. And there are some. I've long thought that Gwyneth Paltrow is one of those actresses who will be around for a long time; this film only bolsters that opinion. I'm not very familiar with John Hannah, but I enjoyed him a lot in this film. John Lynch (who shares my last name) stutters around too much in this film, but I suspect that was the way he was directed to act; I did laugh when Paltrow accuses him of acting like Woody Allen. Jeanne Tripplehorn comes across as a total (fill in the blank) here; nasty roles can be juicy, but I tire of an actor when he or she often plays the villain. The rest of the cast here are truly just supporting actors...important to film, but none stand out. You'll focus on the 3 primary characters...and they each have a lot of screen time since they are part of 2 different story lines.
This is one film where the two endings allow you to be satisfied one way or the other.
This is also very much a film dependent on strong performances. And there are some. I've long thought that Gwyneth Paltrow is one of those actresses who will be around for a long time; this film only bolsters that opinion. I'm not very familiar with John Hannah, but I enjoyed him a lot in this film. John Lynch (who shares my last name) stutters around too much in this film, but I suspect that was the way he was directed to act; I did laugh when Paltrow accuses him of acting like Woody Allen. Jeanne Tripplehorn comes across as a total (fill in the blank) here; nasty roles can be juicy, but I tire of an actor when he or she often plays the villain. The rest of the cast here are truly just supporting actors...important to film, but none stand out. You'll focus on the 3 primary characters...and they each have a lot of screen time since they are part of 2 different story lines.
This is one film where the two endings allow you to be satisfied one way or the other.
Movie fades after promising start
SnoopyStyle28 April 2014
Helen (Gwyneth Paltrow) gets fired from her PR job for taking home all the booze. As she tries to go home, she misses the subway train... then in another storyline, she catches the subway train. The difference leads to two different stories. In one, she goes to the hospital after a purse snatching. She doesn't catch her boyfriend cheating, and her miserable life continues. In the other, she meets talkative James (John Hannah) on the train and finds her boyfriend Gerry (John Lynch) cheating with Lydia (Jeanne Tripplehorn).
Written and directed by Peter Howitt, this movie is one gimmick but I'm not sure there is much more than that. His style is competent if somewhat uninspired. Gwyneth is talking with a British accent. John Lynch has no screen presence and his character has the personality of a slug. The stories lack any excitement. John Hannah is quite charming, but the happy storyline doesn't really have enough drama. In the end, I don't care about either road traveled. It's a missed opportunity to write something amazing. It needs somebody with that sensibility like a Charlie Kaufman.
Written and directed by Peter Howitt, this movie is one gimmick but I'm not sure there is much more than that. His style is competent if somewhat uninspired. Gwyneth is talking with a British accent. John Lynch has no screen presence and his character has the personality of a slug. The stories lack any excitement. John Hannah is quite charming, but the happy storyline doesn't really have enough drama. In the end, I don't care about either road traveled. It's a missed opportunity to write something amazing. It needs somebody with that sensibility like a Charlie Kaufman.
Love's Sliding Doors Open then Shut then Open Again
g-white72317 August 2011
I must confess that romantic comedies are not my type of film, but I make an exception for Sliding Doors. I have watched this film many times now and it still brings tears to my eyes. I don't know why because I know the story inside out by now.
The story is about Helen, a young PR girl, who is having no luck with her job or with her boyfriend. She shares a home with her wayward boyfriend Gerry, a man who is trying to write his first novel and having a secret affair. At the start of the film she gets sacked from her job and then the film gets very interesting because two story lines develop as she makes her way home. As she gets on the tube, the train's sliding doors close and one story begins, but then the sliding doors open and the alternate story begins. The two stories revolve around Helen and her boyfriend Gerry, and two other people James, and Lydia. One story shows one twist of fate as she misses the train, the other story shows another set of circumstances as she gets on the train. Both stories play out scene by scene in a delightful romantic comedy. It is the great performances by all the cast, a brilliant idea, and a witty script that make this film a classic in its genre in my opinion.
As with the best comedy, there is also tragedy that befalls the players in this drama, and you end up realising how complicated life is and how fate plays a big part in our lives.
As someone who hates rom coms, I have to say that Sliding Doors is still one of my favourite films, and I watch it whenever it comes on the TV. There is so much to watch in this film: the growing love between Helen and James, or the comical attempts by Gerry to hide his affair with Lydia, or there is the twists and turns as the rocky relationships reach a climax by the end of the film.
British films don't get much better than this. A great movie.
The story is about Helen, a young PR girl, who is having no luck with her job or with her boyfriend. She shares a home with her wayward boyfriend Gerry, a man who is trying to write his first novel and having a secret affair. At the start of the film she gets sacked from her job and then the film gets very interesting because two story lines develop as she makes her way home. As she gets on the tube, the train's sliding doors close and one story begins, but then the sliding doors open and the alternate story begins. The two stories revolve around Helen and her boyfriend Gerry, and two other people James, and Lydia. One story shows one twist of fate as she misses the train, the other story shows another set of circumstances as she gets on the train. Both stories play out scene by scene in a delightful romantic comedy. It is the great performances by all the cast, a brilliant idea, and a witty script that make this film a classic in its genre in my opinion.
As with the best comedy, there is also tragedy that befalls the players in this drama, and you end up realising how complicated life is and how fate plays a big part in our lives.
As someone who hates rom coms, I have to say that Sliding Doors is still one of my favourite films, and I watch it whenever it comes on the TV. There is so much to watch in this film: the growing love between Helen and James, or the comical attempts by Gerry to hide his affair with Lydia, or there is the twists and turns as the rocky relationships reach a climax by the end of the film.
British films don't get much better than this. A great movie.
Very interesting and entertaining.
richieandsam1 October 2013
SLIDING DOORS
This was better than I expected.
The film is about a girl who gets fired from her job and on the way home as she is walking down to the tube to catch her train a little girl makes her late and she misses her train but we also see what would happen if she caught the train. It splits her life up and we see both outcomes.
The movie is split into 2 story lines and we alternate between them both throughout the movie. Normally this would be confusing, but the lead character changes her hair in one of the story lines so it is easy to follow. I like the idea of this film. It was really well thought out and really well made. It is an interesting concept there are always moments in life where we say "what if ", well in this film we don't need to ask. We see both outcomes.
This was described to me as a romantic comedy, but the comedy was very little. I laughed out loud once maybe twice. It is a very entertaining movie, but not that funny. Yes it is romantic which normally makes me think it will be cheesy as hell, but this manages to avoid too much cheese. There are the odd cheesy moment, but nowhere near as much as most romantic movies have.
Sliding Doors stars a young Gwyneth Paltrow. She was very good in this film. She seemed to play the role very emotionally. She was very real. John Hannah & John Lynch also star. They both do decent jobs too. My favourite character was John Lynch's best friend he was always in the pub and laughing at his friends misfortune. He was the funniest character for me. Douglas McFerran was the actor.
The story was really good, the acting was good but the comedy was slow. There are some emotions for the characters anger, sadness, happiness you really see them all going through the motions and it is fun to see. It is funny to think that the guy from the classic TV show Bread, Peter Howitt, wrote and directed this.
I will give this film 7 out of 10.
"I could never love a Baywatch fan"
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This was better than I expected.
The film is about a girl who gets fired from her job and on the way home as she is walking down to the tube to catch her train a little girl makes her late and she misses her train but we also see what would happen if she caught the train. It splits her life up and we see both outcomes.
The movie is split into 2 story lines and we alternate between them both throughout the movie. Normally this would be confusing, but the lead character changes her hair in one of the story lines so it is easy to follow. I like the idea of this film. It was really well thought out and really well made. It is an interesting concept there are always moments in life where we say "what if ", well in this film we don't need to ask. We see both outcomes.
This was described to me as a romantic comedy, but the comedy was very little. I laughed out loud once maybe twice. It is a very entertaining movie, but not that funny. Yes it is romantic which normally makes me think it will be cheesy as hell, but this manages to avoid too much cheese. There are the odd cheesy moment, but nowhere near as much as most romantic movies have.
Sliding Doors stars a young Gwyneth Paltrow. She was very good in this film. She seemed to play the role very emotionally. She was very real. John Hannah & John Lynch also star. They both do decent jobs too. My favourite character was John Lynch's best friend he was always in the pub and laughing at his friends misfortune. He was the funniest character for me. Douglas McFerran was the actor.
The story was really good, the acting was good but the comedy was slow. There are some emotions for the characters anger, sadness, happiness you really see them all going through the motions and it is fun to see. It is funny to think that the guy from the classic TV show Bread, Peter Howitt, wrote and directed this.
I will give this film 7 out of 10.
"I could never love a Baywatch fan"
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What a dissapointment
pacyfa18 May 2000
WHat an absolute dissapointment this movie is. It's story line ( or a plot setup ) taken from Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Blind Chance" - does not even come close to the original which must be said was not a romance at all. It;s kind of strange really, how can a central idea be taken from another movie and yet the credit is not given to the original writer. The less said about this movie the better, and I would urge anyone intrested in the clever idea of the plot to watch "Blind Chance".
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