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‘Look Both Ways suggests that the choices we make influence our lives but ultimately chance plays a role in our destiny.’
Look Both Ways is a film that explores how characters grapple with the many random twists and turns of life. Over the space of a weekend Sarah Watt shows how lives of individuals can be forever changed as a result of random or chance events. However, Look Both Ways also suggests how whilst an unexpected moment may initiate change in one life, it is the decisions we make as a result of these events that truly shape our life and future. Characters in Watt’s film are seen to be affected by their own decisions and that of others as well as the many random encounters of the weekend. In this way, chance is seen to ripple into their lives and cause waves of life changing actions.
The characters of Look Both Ways are seen to be constantly e affected by chance and random events. Accidents and tragedies appear to surround the setting of Look Both Ways. The opening scene of the film highlights the randomness of life by introducing the Arnow Hill train accident. Whilst this doesn’t directly affect any characters of the film, it does assist in initiating Meryl’s paralysing, fearful animations of death such as derailments of trains. Furthermore, Meryl is seen to “have little relief from a scorching weekend” as she is faced with the prospects of dealing with the unexpected death of her father and cope as a witness of Rob’s tragic accident. This causes Meryl to “see death everywhere” . Wondering whether it was “meant to be”, Meryl is seen to focus in on these chance moments as they paralyse her thoughts and consume her well-being. Likewise, Nick, in going to the doctors for a “travel med” finds himself facing the diagnosis of testicular cancer. Unbeknown to him, this chance diagnosis soon becomes the focus point of his life as he overwhelms his thoughts. Nick soon becomes frightened as he realises the extent of cancer through frantic researching, depicted in fast, flashing photomontages. The prospects of now coping with cancer leave him with a drastically changed attitude and more guarded approach to life. In facing random tragedies, Sarah Watt explores the extent to which chance can affect our future.
Sarah Watt suggests that whilst random events can change our life path, it is our decisions as a result of these events that can truly influence our lives. Whilst encounters with unexpected moments can change our actions and future, the after effects and the choices that come with it can often be seen to have a deeper effect on our life path. Meryl and Nick’s first meeting, as a result of Rob’s chance death is the starting point in a life long relationship for them. However, Watt shows how whilst fate brought them together, it was their own actions that saw them change from simply acquaintances to partners. Both struggling through the weekend due to their own respective grievances, Meryl and Nick re seen to choose to open up to each other in discussing their own personal grief. Their relationship, as demonstrated through their ‘love-making’ scene is seen to be a source of strength to each of them in overcoming their fears as we seen the fearful animations of Meryl and Nick’s imagined images of cancer sells begin to die. This allows them to choose to enter into a relationship with each other, which leads them down a dramatically new life path. The final photomontage depicts the support they have chosen and the path they will pursue, their travels and their future that, whilst all initiated by chance, is a result of their own choices. The train driver is seen to be one of the worst e affected by Rob’s death. Angered and consumed by guilt the effect of this unexpected accident is seen to take control of his life. However, whilst Rob’s death causes the train driver to live with grief, it is his own personal decisions that see him able to improve his battered relationship with his son. Whilst still separated in camera shots, the son and father are seen to grow in their understanding of each other, as captured by the son first offering his father a beer and then supporting him as his dad apologised to Julia. In dealing with the change the train accident enforced on his family, the train driver chooses to take chance into his won hands and improve his life.
The reasons for our destiny and future can often be considered decisions of our own, even if fate or chance were involved. Sometimes, life choices or actions are considered to be of our own creation. However, in some cases, fate or chance can play a role. Andy and Anna’s unplanned pregnancy is seen to be an unfortunate occurrence but none the less, not a random event as Andy claims he “was there too” and that it can’t have just happened. But, as the weekend progresses we see how the baby may represent more than simply a burden on Anna and Andy’s shoulders but also a symbol of fate that eventually brings the two together. In Anna and Andy’s final scene together they appear to be coming to terms with their relationship and finally reaching out towards each other supporting each other as Andy arrives at Anna’s apartment. The baby allows them to grow as individuals as we see the baby grant Andy a new level of happiness in the final photomontage. So, whatever the pregnancy was caused by- purposeful action or fate, the effects of their own decisions throughout the film, even if influenced by fate are seen to change their life path forever. At hearing the news of Nick’s cancer diagnosis, Phil is seen to take immediate action to improve his family life. So surprised, his wife questions if he is “having an affair”. Phil, but his own choice is seen to reprioritise his wife and children, live with a more spirited attitude and enjoy home life more. But, whilst Phil is seen to see this as a result of his own actions; it is somewhat the result of fate and chance. If it were not for Nick’s random diagnosis with cancer, Phil would have never come to the realisation of his family’s importance. Whilst our life is seen to be heavily influenced by our own actions and choices, these decisions can, in many cases, have an influence from chance and fate.
As Sarah Watt’s film, Look Both Ways throws random accidents at the characters from all directions, what they choose to do as a result of these chance events is seen to be very influential. Wave after wave of random tragedy is seen to batter the characters of Look Both Ways and play a role in many a characters life path. Sarah Watt explores how whilst conscience and intended decisions can have the biggest influence on our lives, chance has the ability to ripple through us and provide some control over our future.
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