Sliding Doors (1998)

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.

Director:

Peter Howitt

Writer:

Peter Howitt

Stars:

Gwyneth Paltrow, John Hannah, John Lynch

6 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Helen
John Hannah	...	James
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

Storyline

In London, the public relation Helen is fired from her position in a PR company. While returning home, she does not catch the train in the subway. But in another possibility of her life, she catches the train in the subway. The story shows two parallel lives of Helen: in one life, she stays with her boyfriend Gerry, and in the other life, she finds that Gerry cheats her with Lydia and falls in love with James Hammerton.

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Plot Keywords:

multiple outcomes | twist of fate | serendipity | parallel time | destiny | 

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Taglines:

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.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 May 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dos vidas en un instante

Filming Locations:

The Corn Exchange, 55 Mark Lane, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$834,817, 26 April 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$11,883,495, 30 August 1998

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$67,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Intermedia Films,Mirage Enterprises,Miramax

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When James and Helen first meet on the tube, James talks about The Beatles. A little later in the film, as Helen and Anna get into the taxi they instruct the driver to take them to 9 Menlove Ave. 251 Menlove Ave in Liverpool was the childhood home of Beatle John Lennon, who felt a great affinity with the number "9".

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Goofs

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

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Quotes

James: Cheer up. Remember what the Monty Python boys say.
Helen: "Always look on the bright side of life"?
James: No, "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition."

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Gwyneth Paltrow/Barenaked Ladies (1999)

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Soundtracks

Tenderness on the Block
Written by Warren Zevon & Jackson Browne
Performed by Patty Larkin
Produced by Patty Larkin
Courtesy of High Street Records A Unit of The Windham Hill Group

User Reviews

Undoubtedly one of my favourite films

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