Sliding Doors (1998)

Director:

Peter Howitt

Writer:

Peter Howitt (writer)

Release Date:

24 April 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

There are two sides to every story. Helen is about to live both of them ...at the same time. Romance was never this much fun.

Plot:

A London woman's love life and career both hinge, unknown to her, on whether or not she catches a train. We see it both ways, in parallel.

Plot Keywords:

Anxiety | Breakup | Romantic Dinner | Emotional Depression | Getting Dumped

Awards:

6 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Helen Quilley
John Hannah	...	James Hammerton
John Lynch	...	Gerry
Jeanne Tripplehorn	...	Lydia
Zara Turner	...	Anna
Douglas McFerran	...	Russell
Paul Brightwell	...	Clive
Nina Young	...	Claudia
Virginia McKenna	...	James's Mother
Kevin McNally	...	Paul
Terry English	...	Kind Cabbie
Paul Stacey	...	Man on Tube
Peter Howitt	...	Cheeky Bloke
Joanna Roth	...	Suspicious Girl
Neil Stuke	...	Defensive Bloke

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality and language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A (Alberta) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba) | Iceland:L | Canada:G (Quebec) | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | USA:PG-13 (edited for re-rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:IIA | Hungary:14 | Italy:T | Mexico:B | Netherlands:AL | Norway:7 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (original rating) (1997)

Filming Locations:

Waterloo & City Line, London Underground, London, England, UK

Company:

Intermedia Films

Trivia:

Although the film is set in London, trailers and ads for it included one shot showing a Los Angeles Blue Line train, which looks nothing like the London Underground trains.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Jerry makes a joke about withdrawing Helen's Class One Drugs. Great Britain uses an alphabetical classification system so class one should be class A.

Quotes:

Helen: For God's sake, Gerry. I asked you a simple question; there is no need for you to become Woody Allen.

Movie Connections:

References Przypadek (1987)

Soundtrack:

Miracle

Where was I when this film first appeared

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.