Sliding Doors
This review will be a quick combination review and ramble, since my Y2K "Ramble" took a lot out of me (not leaving me the energy to give this one graphic novel I planned to review the attention it deserves) and I still have a little to say in a more romantic vein.

Sliding Doors is a cute "what-if" movie that follows two possible lives of Helen Quilley (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) as you see one trivial event lead to two separate futures. In these futures she deals very differently with her romantic life and career situation.

In one of these futures, she still has feelings for her ex-boyfriend Jerry (John Lynch) while starting to become friendlier with James (John Hannah.) Over a shared milkshake she apologizes to him, saying that maybe she's "not being fair" by going on a friendly date with him when she has unresolved previous relationships in her life.
Helen & Helen
If there's one thing I hate, it's when a very, very pretty woman is apologizing for consenting to be with you. It's a gut-wrenching experience. Sometimes it's enough just to be on a date; the person being taken out doesn't have to be responsible for any hopes or expectations the other person might have. I really felt for James (who was too nice of a guy (and saying too many impossibly clever and witty things) to be believed.) Of course, I was strongly identifying with him (ahem), and could recognize that situation from my own past.

Over all, it's a very clever movie. The characters don't have many nuances, but they say very funny things and the accents tend to highlight the experience for American audiences, especially James' Scottish brogue. The ending was a bit overwrought, except for the very last scene. In any case, it's definitely worth a rental when it comes out-- it's an experimental romantic comedy that works.

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