Sliding Doors
Directed by Peter Howitt
- comedy
- drama
- fantasy
- romance
The story
Helen, a London ad executive, is fired from her job and rushes out to catch a train, but, as she runs down, her life suddenly splits off. In one version she catches the train; in the second, she misses it. Her whole life changes in that one second, and the rest of the film depicts what happens in each scenario.
What it’s like
Bright, brisk London in the late nineties: Tube platforms under sickly fluorescent strip light, rain-slick pavements, pubs with warm amber glow and the cramped, clattering warmth of a flat shared with friends. Peter Howitt shoots in mostly conventional, well-lit coverage with quick cuts and a bouncy, guitar-led soundtrack of Britpop-era pop that keeps the pace bubbling along. The film's vibe is light, wry and quietly wistful, with a touch of romantic whimsy that suits a rainy Sunday, a comfort rewatch, or an easy evening on the sofa. Its emotional register is warm and playful, and the central arc, a woman's two diverging lives tracking how small chance moments shape a relationship and a sense of self, lands with gentle melancholy rather than heartbreak. Intensity is low: some profanity, mild sex and nudity, brief tension and an unpleasant boyfriend, but no real violence, gore or cruelty. It is for people who like romantic comedy with a bit of thoughtful feeling underneath, and who enjoy watching a familiar city and familiar faces in two different directions.
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