Sliding Doors

Sliding Doors is a 1998 film that explores two potential strands of a woman's life. Helen (Gwyneth Paltrow) is fired from her PR job and heads home. When going down the stairs to jump on a tube home the film splits; on one strand she is obscured by a small child and misses the tube, but the other half sees her just making it. One half of the story sees her meeting James (John Hannah) on the train and then catching her partner Gerry (John Lynch) cheating on her with Lydia (Jeanne Tripplehorn). The other side sees her getting mugged and getting home late, just missing Lydia and beginning a hectic life of working numerous hours to keep bringing in money in order to support Gerry's 'novel'.

The premise of the film is very interesting, and very like the Lionel Shriver novel The Post-Birthday World, this time with a far more likeable main character. Peter Howitt, who both wrote and directed the film, kept it moving along nicely and managed to keep it clear about what strand is going on; even if this occasionally relies on tricks like having Paltrow have different hair in each section.

As Helen, Paltrow is certainly endearing and this is only the second film I've actually seen her in (the other being Shakespeare in Love), she certainly is fun onscreen; even if her English accent is slightly irritating. John Hannah is also wonderful as Hannah's potential love interest; his final scene with her is heartbreaking. The rest of the cast isn't served so well, John Lynch is fine although is saddled with a totally unlikeable character and Jeanne Tripplehorn has an amazing last name, but basically floats around looking glamorous.

Sliding Doors is certainly interesting in its dealing with all the 'What Ifs' that haunt our lives and is done in an easy to follow and understand way.