Sliding Doors (1998)
Review by Stephanie Bragg
Life can change in a single moment. Helen has just been sacked from her job and is on her way home. Her boyfriend is at home… cheating on her with his ex. On her way to catch the tube a little girl gets in her way and she misses the train and may never find out what her boyfriend is up to. This is where things get interesting, the film reverses and we get to see what happens if the Helen makes the train.
The story is told in parallel as we see what happens to each version of Helen. Helen #1 doesn’t catch her boyfriend being unfaithful. He continues his affair as she works hard to support the two of them. Helen #2 walks in in the middle. She leaves him, starts her own, company and makes friends with a charming Scotsman.
Watching this film is a roller coaster, but a fun one! There’s drama and romance and comedy. It made me cheer and boo at the screen over and over again. My sister and I still quote certain scenes on a regular basis. Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah are adorable and charming on screen together as Helen and James. And Jeanne Tripplehorn puts on a manic performance as Lydia, the other woman. On a deeper level I love how this movie explores how your life could be vastly different with every moment or sliding of a door.
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About the reviewer: Stephanie Bragg has been a member of the reference department at TPL since 2014. She is proud mom to Nolan, the smiliest little boy around.
