'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Look Both Ways dropped on Netflix on Wednesday, August 17, 2022. It features Chemical Hearts and Riverdale actor Lili Reinhart, who essays the role of Natalie, a 22-year-old animation student at Texas college.
Netflix's synopsis of Look Both Ways reads:
"On the night of her college graduation, Natalie's life splits into parallel realities after she takes a pregnancy test. What will life and love bring?"
Director Wanuri Kahiu employs parallel reality to explain Natalie's trajectory that comes with the bifurcation of choices. However, she is able to achieve both professional and personal success in the end.
In addition to Reinhart, the cast of Look Both Ways includes actors Luke Wilson, Andrea Savage, Aisha Dee, Danny Ramirez, and David Corenswet in pivotal roles.
Read on to learn more about the Look Both Ways' ending.
The ending of Look Both Ways explained
What happened after Natalie's life split into two realities?
There is no hidden science behind Natalie's life splitting into two realities other than Kahiu's choice to depict two choices in a woman's life in Look Both Ways.
However, following the split, the majority of screen time is devoted to the events surrounding Natalie's announcement of her pregnancy to Gabe, the child's father and a friend, as well as her parents.
"I am pro your choice," Gabe said of Natalie's decision. Natalie's parents, on the other hand, flipped at the news. They were worried about their daughter's future, but were also angry because she decided to keep the child. Natalie's mother (played by Savage) expressed concern that the event might derail the parents' plans to enjoy their lives.
"What about our plans? What about naked Sundays? And furniture with sharp edges? We were supposed to go to Barcelona next year," Natalie's mother said in frustration as she deliberated the next move with her husband. After a day of taunting, they finally accepted their daughter's decision to prioritize motherhood over her career, with Natalie and Gabe moving back in with them.
In an alternate reality, Natalie and her friend Cara (played by Dee) relocated to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams in the animation industry. Natalie took a job at a company run by someone she admired (played by Nia Long), where she met Jake (played by Corenswet). The two hit it off and decided to move in together.
Meanwhile, Natalie gave birth to Rosie, with Gabe along her side throughout. While initially, Gabe stayed with Natalie and her parents to help look after Rosie, he soon moved out into his own place.
He invited Natalie to live with him, but she declined. Natalie instead suggested that Gabe resume dating other people. When she later found out about Gabe's new girlfriend, Miranda, she became visibly upset. This was exacerbated after Gabe informed Natalie of his engagement to Miranda.
Parallelly, we saw Natalie's efforts to impress her boss go in vain after the latter called her work unoriginal and uninspired, and told her that she needed to find her own voice. Natalie also called it quits with Jake after their plans to move in were derailed by Jake's six-month work trip. The distance and shoddy network could only go so far.
A dejected Natalie thus quit her job and returned home to her parents.
Did Natalie find what she was looking for in Look Both Ways?
The alternate realities seemed to meet along the line, if not converge. Both Natalies decided to take charge of their lives irrespective of the support they got.
Both started working on their independent ideas as animation artists. Natalie, the mother, took inspiration from her daughter's bedtime routine and came up with the graphic novel, Night Owl. In alternate reality, she created an animated short-film, Indigo.
In both realities, Natalie's work made it through one of the most prestigious film festivals as they garnered critical praise. Natalie also reconciled with Gabe and Jake in their respective worlds.
In the end, Natalie returned to the washroom in both realities, where she faced the most life-altering question of her life: her pregnancy. The realities did not converge, but instead seemed content with the way things turned out.
You can catch Look Both Ways on Netflix.
