Trending on Netflix’s Top 10 film list, both in India and globally, Look Both Ways is a romantic comedy that literally lives up to its name — it looks at both the ways its heroine's life could pan out, depending on whether a significant event happens to her or not. With Riverdale actress Lili Reinhart as the lead character, Natalie, the movie tries to fit two separate films into one. Here's what makes Look Both Ways sometimes a pleasurable watch and sometimes a bumpy ride.

Two parallel tracks with Natalie at the centre

Seven minutes into the one-hour-52-minute movie, the plot is split into two tracks with separate storylines. This happens right after Natalie takes a pregnancy test following a one-night stand with her college buddy, Gabe (Danny Ramirez). In one storyline, the pregnancy test is negative, in the other it’s positive.

In the storyline where Natalie is not pregnant, she goes ahead with her five-year plan of moving to Los Angeles and becoming an animation artist. In the other, where she is pregnant, she moves back in with her parents, forgoes her five-year plan and adapts to life as a single mother. The constant flitting in and out of the two storylines keeps you guessing on what might happen to Natalie next.

A strong supporting cast

Reinhart is brilliant, both as a constantly on-the-edge mom as well as a driven animation artist. Andrea Savage and Luke Wilson as Tina and Rick, Natalie’s empty-nest parents, look their parts. They grill Gabe and make it known to Natalie that her pregnancy is ruining their plans as well.

In both storylines, Tina and Rick are Natalie’s pillars of support when she needs them. Ramirez does a good job of going from a spacy drummer to an invested father. David Corenswet, as non-pregnant Natalie’s future love interest, Jake, adds sizzle to the film as the charming-yet-distant boyfriend.

Forced drama in both storylines

Some of the conflict points in both narratives feel forced. For instance, in the track where Natalie is not pregnant, she's fired from her job because her boss finds her portfolio unimpressive but Natalie is never shown as a bad employee. A few scenes later, the boss offers Natalie her job back, making the firing feel even more unnecessary.

The pregnant Natalie also has her fair share of forced conflicts. Years after the birth of her daughter, Natalie visits her best friend in Los Angeles leaving Rose with her father Gabe. Rose calls her mom and says her father has left her with a babysitter overnight whom she doesn't even know, which makes Natalie rush home. This feels a bit contrived as Gabe is never shown as an irresponsible father and Natalie's quick conclusion of Gabe as irresponsible seems out of place too.

Happy ending in both tracks

The movie tries to emphasise that the life of a woman is difficult, whether she is a stay-at-home mom or chooses her career over starting a family. The execution doesn’t happen that way though. Whether Natalie is pregnant or not, she ends up with a man and is looking forward to starting a family with him.

In both cases, Natalie’s career is a side plot with family planning taking centre stage. Natalie gets the man (two different partners in the two tracks), her dream job and a happy ending. What’s the point of taking us through two separate plots if they had to end in the same place?

What actually influences the decisions that Natalie takes in both tracks? Guess we will never know because Look Both Ways didn't bother to look into that.