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Have you ever wondered what your life would be
like if you hadn't taken a particular trip, met a
certain person, or gone to a specific party?
SLIDING DOORS explores that question for Helen, a
London public relations executive played
smashingly by Gwyneth Paltrow. After being fired
from her job, she misses the subway home. Or does
she? This fascinating movie shows what happens to
Helen - and her love life - in both cases.
By catching the train, she meets a handsome
stranger (John Hannah) who becomes infatuated with
her. But she also arrives home early to find her
live-in boyfriend (John Lynch) in bed with a
former girlfriend(Jeanne Tripplehorn). Conversely,
by missing the subway, Helen falls victim to a
mugger and doesn't get home until her boyfriend's
tryst is over.
A remarkable depiction of parallel universes
emerges in this provocative movie. It's done with
great style, humor, and heart - thanks to
first-time director Peter Howitt. Looking more
like a football player than a filmmaker, Howitt
confesses feeling relieved that viewers can follow
his film's intertwined stories. "It took me three
years of writing and twenty drafts of a screenplay
before getting it right, and I'd still like to
film the whole thing over," he explains.
Describing the incident that inspired his movie,
Howitt recalls needing to make a phone call on a
day while walking on a busy London street. "I
wondered if I should wait until I got home or use
the callbox across the street. I decided to call
right away, stepped into the road, and was almost
hit by a car." This close call jolted the
filmmaker's mind. He became obsessed with how his
life might have been different had he been hit.
"The idea bugged me for ages, but it was four
years before I started writing the screenplay," he
declares.
It was very easy for me to follow Paltrow's
character through her two worlds. One Helen cuts
and bleaches her hair and becomes more liberated
as she takes on a new career. The other Helen, the
one who stays with her lout of a boyfriend, comes
across as much more shy and vulnerable. Because of
Paltrow's incredible ability to draw me into her
performances, I was captivated by both versions of
the character she portrays. And I desperately
wanted this lovely woman, whichever one she really
was, to end up with the amusing stranger she met
on the subway. No doubt about it: he's definitely
more fun, especially when he quotes those
hilarious Monty Python bits.
SLIDING DOORS raises questions about fate and the
mysteries of life. I like to call it "a thinking
person's romantic comedy." But, hey, don't let
that frighten you. It's also entertaining and lots
of fun!
(Released by Miramax/Paramount Pictures and rated
"R" for some sexuality and language.)
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Do you have some old dolls in the attic? If you have an old doll that's just collecting dust, or that's stored away in a box somewhere... Author Laura Mills-Alcott and her daughter restore old dolls from the 1920s - 1940s. They are currently buying dolls for a very special project, and may be interested in buying YOUR doll(s). To find out more click here. |
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