# Sliding Doors (1998)

### reviewed by
Berge Garabedian

    SLIDING DOORS
    RATING:  7 / 10 --> Good movie

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Gwyneth Paltrow continues to flaunt her knack for a British accent in this dual role, under the wings of first time writer/director Peter Howitt, and an original premise that is likely to have you pondering your future every time you just happen to miss a bus, train or subway ride.

PLOT: A woman gets fired from her job and runs off to take the London underground. At this point, the movie separates into two parallel stories. The first story shows us the life of said woman were she to have caught the subway, i.e. she gets home in time to catch her boyfriend shagging another woman. The second story shows us the consequences, were she to have missed the subway, i.e. she doesn't catch her boyfriend cheating. The film juggles both stories over time, and clearly nods its head to fate.

CRITIQUE: Unique concept and plot execution, this movie offers many good points, including solid acting, a painfully effective poppy soundtrack, humor, romance, and many insights into the minds of women and the men who cheat on them. With a touch of anti-maleness, this film is extremely fine is presenting the male of the species in all of his immorality, and touching upon many of the clues that women should look for, were they to suspect their loved one of mowing another's lawn. Mrs. JoBlo actually felt the need to stop this film on more than one occasion, in order to carefully dissect yours truly in respect to feelings felt in relation to some of the slimier actions perpetrated by the aforementioned men. I passed :). And that's the kind of thing that makes this movie so different from all your other romantic ditties. This one will have you thinking about the consequences of many of the smaller events in your life, the role that fate has to play in your daily rumblings, and your comparative thoughts versus some of the actions of the players in this film.

Paltrow is charming in her double role, and finally seems to have passed over her "pouting for emotion" acting stage. But over and above her, the scene stealer in this pleasant flick has to be the man who swept many away as the gay character in another wonderful British romance, called FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL (8/10), John Hannah. He's enchanting in all of his scenes, and manages to lure you into his character and persona, despite his obvious lack of physical beauty. His gig alone is reason to check this piece out. The other guy on the other hand, John Lynch, is so-so in his part, and makes you wonder why a beauty like Gwyneth would ever even look twice at him. Jeanne Tripplehorn's character is also laughably one-dimensional, and seems to be there solely as a necessary evil in the plot. Having said that, the script is admirably crafted and fun to discover, with a surprise ending, which ultimately, may not be that much of surprise after all. I did lose a little track of some past events from one story to the other later on this film, but all in all, this film managed to win me over with its unique story-telling, wonderful and charming acting, and entertaining plot points. Warm up those nachos and get in those PJ's, cause you and your lover are about to have a fun time!

Little Known Facts about this film and its stars: Word on the street is that Gwyneth Paltrow apparently turned down the Kate Winslet role in a little flick called TITANIC (7/10), to star in this British tale. Writer/Director Peter Howitt also plays the role of the "cheeky man" in this film. It took him two and a half years to complete the script of this movie. And not unlike the Gerry character in this film, he also went through some periods of writer's block, and frustrations, "Certainly there were times when the laptop would go across the room," he said. "I broke one laptop in Ipswitch, near Suffolk, in a hotel room. It was really dumb, but I couldn't get it to work so I threw it against the wall." Before John Hannah decided on a career as an actor, he was an apprentice electrician for four years. He gave this up after being accepted by a drama school in Glasgow. Actor John Lynch also directed a film in 1998 called NIGHT TRAIN, starring John Hurt and Brenda Blethyn. Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn studied drama at Juilliard School of Drama at Lincoln Center in New York. She was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

    Review Date:        January 29, 1999
    Director:                 Peter Howitt
    Writer:                    Peter Howitt
    Producers:            Sydney Pollack, Phillipa Braithwaite and William
    Horberg
    Actors:                   Gwyneth Paltrow as Helen Quilley, John Hannah as
    James, John Lynch as Gerry, Jeanne Tripplehorn as Lydia
    Genre:                    Romance
    Year of Release:  1998Visit JoBlo's Movie Emporium
    http://www.joblo.com(c) 1999 Berge Garabedian

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