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

John Hannah stopped worrying about catching trains after this film. "I don't run for trains any more. If I'm meant to get the train, I'll get it," he claimed. "If I don't, there'll be another one along in a few minutes."

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Goofs

When James and Helen are sitting in the diner, they are drinking pink milkshakes. As the shots cut back and forth the shakes disappear and reappear. Also in the next scene James talks about drinking chocolate shakes, even though they were pink, not brown.

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Quotes

James: Haircut suits you, by the way.
[Helen demurs]
James: No, it does, it does! No gag. 'Never make a joke about a woman's hair, clothes or menstrual cycles' - page one.

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Alternate Versions

US version was cut for language by Miramax to secure a PG-13 rating.

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Connections

Referenced in Late Night with Seth Meyers: James Corden/Vanessa Bayer/Robert Earl (2014)

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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

Interesting...

After being fired, Helen (Gwynneth Paltrow) runs to catch a train that, unknown to her, her future hinges on. If she catches it, she'll get home in time to catch her boyfriend Gerry with another woman. If she doesn't, she'll go on not knowing about his infidelity.

This has to be one of the most intriuging plots I've ever seen. Most films would take just one or other of these plots and churn out a typical rom-com, but Sliding Doors turns them into one excellent film. The acting is great (even if Paltrow's accent is at times a little too British and forced) and the plot twists every few seconds. It could have become very confusing, but the direction is good enough that you can easily follow the two stories at once.

There are two things that stop this film being a 10. The first is that the two Helens sometimes seem a little too different from each other to be the same person. Even if they have gone through to different experiences, they don't act the same at all. The second is that the message of the film seems that we don't control our own future-after all, it isnt Helen who decides if she makes it to the train, it all depends on if a little girl is pulled out of the way by her mother in time.

Still, this is a very entertaining film, and definately worth watching. 8/10.