Netflix’s recent releaseLook Both Waysis a pleasant, fluffy rom-com about life’s limitless possibilities and those pivotal forks in the road that make you wonder “what if…?” Audiences that are young enough to be especially interested in this film may be too young to recall a similar flick from 1998:Peter Howitt’sSliding Doors. This film uses the same innovative narrative tricks to explore more than one story for its main character, the trajectory of her life split into two timelines by one fateful circumstance.
Look Both Waysfollows a young college graduate, Natalie, played byLili Reinhart(Riverdale) whose world is turned upside down on the night she suspects she might be pregnant following a one-night stand with her friend, Gabe (Danny Ramirez). The moment Natalie reads the results of her pregnancy test, two simultaneous storylines open up. In one, a childless Natalie moves to Los Angeles with her best friend, Cara (Aisha Dee), to pursue her dream career in animation. In the other, Natalie discovers that she is in fact, pregnant with Gabe’s baby and they move in with her parents to quietly raise their daughter as platonic co-parents. These stories take place over many years to track Natalie’s progress in both scenarios.
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Same Plot, Different Tones
InSliding Doors,Gwyneth Paltrowstars as Helen, whose pathways diverge when she rushes to catch the subway home after being fired from her high-power PR job. In one instance, she gets on the train, and in the other, she misses it and arrives home late. The timing of her unexpected arrival back to her apartment determines if she catches her boyfriend cheating on her with his ex. Two very different versions of Helen develop depending on whether she stays with a partner that blatantly takes advantage of her, or if she catches him in the act and storms out.
The two films have quite a few elements in common. Because they are both romantic comedies, we get not one, buttwoleading men per film – one for each depiction of Natalie and Helen’s lives. Both protagonists are driven, career-minded young women who are struggling to get their footing within their respective industries. Both films use haircuts as a way to differentiate which version of their main character belongs in which plot; sporting a short do is a dead giveaway for reinvention! Tonally, however, these two pieces could not be more different.Sliding Doorsis relentlessly dramatic, ripe with deception and manipulation with a dark, dreary palette to match.Look Both Waysis light and idyllic, there is a noticeable lack of adversity among all of the characters so the film adopts more of an observational tone simply because the stakes are so low.
Aside from the complications that come with making her first major life decisions as a fresh graduate, Natalie leads a very charmed life. The visuals sing as they use two different colour temperatures to distinguish one storyline from another. Her life as a mom is a muted cool blue whereas her life in LA is steeped in vibrant warm light. Costuming adheres to these colour rules as well and it’s a very effective way to signal the switch. Natalie’s passion for art is also utilized when doodles convey the passage of time or the start of a new chapter in her life.
Two Very Different Protagonists
Though these films use the same inventive plot devices to explore questions of fate and uncertainty, they are more different than they are the same. First, the presentation of female protagonists are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. Helen, having started the film plummeting to rock bottom, spends the majority of her time onscreen miserable and angry. Because of this, we get to know very little about the true essence of her as an individual, she is closed off to others and closed off to her audience. Natalie, on the other hand, is painfully vulnerable. Her tendency to wear her heart on her sleeve is fitting for a wide-eyed LA newcomer, but her naivety and lack of real-world experience often plays as immature. The honesty Reinhart brings to this role goes a long way, and this likable character proves to be a compelling watch for young audiences seeking a little comfort amongst all the unknowns of growing up.
The most notable difference between the two films is how much agency the main character is given as they navigate the circumstances of their multiple lives. Natalie’s consistent focus on her own choices demonstrates that screenwriterApril Prosserand directorWanuri Kahiuwant to impart this message to young audiences: choice is power. This ideology is especially apparent when Gabe first learns that Natalie is pregnant and it continuously proves to be an important theme throughout the film. Natalie is very much in the driver’s seat of her own life. Oftentimes we can observe that fear holds her back from certain choices, but at every step, she is shaping her destiny. InSliding Doors,Helen is pictured as a victim of circumstance. An unexpected pregnancy is used as a decisive moment for both Helen and Natalie. Where Natalie is given the opportunity to decide how she wants to proceed, Helen never gets that chance. She unexpectedly loses her child – in both timelines – struck down in random, tragic accidents.
It’s All About Choice
For that matter, Helen’s entire story consists of things happeningtoher.From the beginning, the timing of her train is what determines the trajectory of the story, she is left in the dark with crucial information and takes an extremely passive approach when course-correcting her life after it falls apart. The men in her life seem to have more influence over her actions than she does, and as a result, the overall arc of the story rests on their intentions more than it does on hers. This sort of approach to a female protagonist would never fly today, which is why young female audiences are more likely to resonate with 2022’s incarnation of this story.
Both films utilize some sort of narrative meeting point to tie in the two lives of their main characters. In Helen’s case, the cyclical nature of her tale ends with her finding her soul mate, even in the timeline where they’d never previously met. For a romantic comedy, the reassurance that your true love is right around the corner, regardless of how many degrees of separation may exist, is somewhat comforting. However, in her other life, as soon as she finds happiness with this man she simplydies. This doesn’t exactly paint a picture of a woman determined to change her life for the better. The common beats in Natalie’s stories include her attendance at South by South West after a long period of reinvention and focusing on her art. Of course, in the end, she finds love, but in the closing moments of the film we are reminded that despite the twists and turns, Natalie’s journey is her own, mistakes and all. Her assurance and comfort in the life she has made encourages others to view their own winding paths with the same appreciation and contentment.
A New Story for A New Audience
Look Both Waysmay not be a perfect film, but the improvements that this story chose to incorporate differentiates its style fromSliding Doorsdespite their similarities.Look Both Waysdemonstrates that in life, there is no definitive right or wrong, just different. Both of Natalie’s lives are fulfilling and complete in their own way. As opposed toLook Both Ways’ playful tone,Sliding Doorsfeel claustrophobic. The notion that Helen’s story painstakingly revolves around other characters, particularly her love interests, makes her appear flimsy and the situations she finds herself in feel uncomfortable and forced as a result. Natalie is no saint either, she too tends to wallow in self-pity and navigates some hardships quite poorly, but this is a step in a new direction for female protagonists of young adult rom-coms. The ability to reinvent this story with a more contemporary set of values suggests that audiences’ appetites are changing for how young women, and love, are portrayed in film; particularly in films geared toward younger viewers.Sliding Doorswalked so thatLook Both Wayscould walk…slightly quicker. Maybe it runs in a different timeline?
