Look Both Ways (2022)

2 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Timeline Consuming

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

This goopy, sugary little romance, a popular Netflix hit, borrows its template from the 1998 Gwyneth Paltrow movie Sliding Doors. In that, we follow two different timelines as the character gets on a train, or decides not to get on a train. Here, we follow Natalie (Lili Reinhart), who has sex with her friend Gabe (Danny Ramirez) on graduation night. In one reality, she gets pregnant and decides to keep the baby, and in the other, she isn't pregnant, moves to Los Angeles, and begins pursuing her dream as an animator. Probably much longer than it needed to be, Look Both Ways manages to make the baby-reality look exhausting and miserable, while the challenges of the glamorous L.A.-reality are pretty paltry by comparison. But the movie is pretty, and the mood eventually turns happy. Andrea Savage and Luke Wilson play Natalie's parents, who are NOT pleased that she wants to move back in to their house with her baby. David Corenswet plays another love interest, Aisha Dee plays Natalie's best friend, and Nia Long is her hard-ass boss.