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 Gerry and Helen enter the pub, Gerry orders them a drink with ice but the drinks come neat (no ice). Later as the are getting a table, ice appears in both glasses.

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Quotes

Gerry: [looking in the mirror] Are you some peculiar, thus far undefined breed of dickhead. You have two head problems. One, that was close, very close. Put in layman's terms, she nearly caught you. Two, and this is far more worrying than the first one, you're talking to yourself in the mirror again. Really bad sign.

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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 My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman: It's Just Landmine Hopscotch (2018)

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Soundtracks

Drug Soup
Written by Richard McNevin-Duff, Tony Pipes, Dom Morrison (as Dominic Morrison) and Chas Morrison (as Charles Morrison)
Performed by Space Monkeys
Courtesy of Chingon Records, Factory Records and Interscope Records

User Reviews

This movie will make you think a lot

This movie will make you think for years on end, Just that one little thing could change your life for good.

This movie is running to stories of Helen Quilley who has just been fired of her work place for drinking the night before has she rushes to the train station, while go down the stairs a little girl get in the way and she goes around girl and train door shut in face.

Then we see the movie rewind and she back on top the stairs this time mum pulls the girl way from wall so she can get past, just about got on to the train, in this scene we can she her on train also on outside train.

From here we see both side of stories, we see how life would have been if she did catch the train and we can also see what would have happened if she missed the Train.

The movie was well written and Gwyneth Paltrow is was outstanding in this movie.

8/10 ending was disappointed but it better then ending i was thinking of.