Everyone on the planet has wondered “what if” at some point in their life. Look Both Ways gives us a glance at just how much can change with one quick decision. More importantly, it examines the different ups and downs any walk of life can bring, showing that there is never one right path.
The story is about Natalie, a college student who finds herself sick on the night of her graduation. From there, the film splits into two realities, one where she was pregnant, and one where she wasn’t. You spend the next several years in Natalie’s lives, seeing how differently things turned out, and in some ways, how similar.
I was pleasantly surprised with Look Both Ways. At first glance, it struck me as one of those comedies that brings very little to the table outside some shallow chuckles. Though it wasn’t a dramatic masterpiece, I think the movie really tackles a question that everyone asks themselves at some point, so viewers will be able to relate in some way.
“Look Both Ways manages to take on a dual-reality story naturally, but keeps things light and fluffy.”
When I read that Look Both Ways would explore two alternate realities, I was worried that it would be really campy, but it was done in a way that didn’t end up cheesy or confusing. There were no portals or flashbacks, simply two stories taking place at the same time. The film would transition seamlessly between stories, eventually seeing paths cross between them in an Easter egg sort of way. Thank god for short hair Natalie and long hair Natalie.
Look Both Ways explores what feels like the only two choices women are given in life: become a mother or focus on your career. I thought the film would favour one over the other, but I was pleased to see the way that they focus on both the highs and lows everyone has in their career or family life. Not everything was picture-perfect on either side. Tackling issues like postpartum depression, struggling to find work out of college, love lives vs careers and losing a bit of oneself for someone else, Look Both Ways brings a genuine charm to common issues that everyone faces.
“Look Both Ways explores what feels like the only two choices women are given in life: become a mother or focus on your career.”
The cast is full of recognizable names. Centring on Lili Reinhart’s (Riverdale) character, Natalie, Luke Wilson and Andrea Savage play her parents, Aisha Dee (Sissy) plays her best friend Cara, Danny Ramirez as Gabe, her more complicated friend, David Corenswet as Jake, with Nia Long (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) playing her idol and boss. Everyone plays their character sufficiently, but there are no real stand-outs. Wilson and Savage are perhaps the most over-the-top, and Reinhart is her usual charming character, with the occasional dash of depth—PS, I’m totally team Jake.
Look Both Ways manages to take on a dual-reality story naturally, but keeps things light and fluffy. Though this isn’t as shallow a film as I thought it would be, it covered issues that could have been taken more seriously. Either way, Look Both Ways was all-around enjoyable, and something I’d definitely recommend for movie night.
