Sliding Doors (1998)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

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:

Train | Cheating | Waitress | Love | Parallel Time

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

Also Known As:

Dos vidas en un instante (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
A nö kétszer (Hungary) [hu]
Aprosmenos erotas (Greece) [el]
Instantes Decisivos (Portugal) [pt]
Les portes du destin (Canada: French title) [fr]
Pile & face (France) [fr]
Przypadkowa dziewczyna (Poland) [pl]
Rastlantinin böylesi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Si yo hubiera (Mexico) [es]
Sie liebt ihn - sie liebt ihn nicht (Germany) [de]
Sliding Doors - yksi hetki, kaksi tarinaa (Finland) (TV title) [fi]
Sliding doors: Dos vidas en un instante (Spain) [es]
Volim, ne volim (Croatia) [hr]

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:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba) | Iceland:L | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | 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:

The writer/director is good friends with Brian May, of the band Queen, and gave him a copy of the finished script, asking him to write a song for the film. May penned the song "Another World", but was told a few months into production that they couldn't use it, because another record company was co-financing the production. May kept the song and it became the thematic thread for his solo album "Another World" (1998).

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning of the film when Helen walks in on Gerry and Lydia, the straps of Lydia's dress change from being on her shoulder to hanging off her arms between shots.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Young and the Restless: (#1.9077)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Use the Force

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