Though it has been drawing comparisons to the 1998 film “Sliding Doors,” Netflix’s new romantic comedy “Look Both Ways” is a welcome departure from typical Hollywood fare. Taking place in two alternate realities, the production tackles the age-old question, “What If?” As college senior Natalie Bennett (Lili Reinhart) asks in the trailer, “What if I’d moved to that city, gone to another school, or considered hooking up with that one friend? Can a single moment change your life?” The film’s answer? Yes . . . and no – and it’s a delightful journey to get there.
The tale begins on the eve of Natalie’s graduation, as she takes a pregnancy test after finding herself nauseous following a random one-night hookup with her good friend Gabe (Danny Ramirez). The results send her into two parallel worlds, one in which she is pregnant and moves back home to live with her parents in Austin, Texas, Gabe right by her side, and the other in which she heads to Los Angeles, single and without child, to pursue her dream of becoming an animator with her best friend, Cara (Aisha Dee).
While most romcoms promote a “one soulmate for everyone” narrative, “Look Both Ways” is a thoroughly fresh take on the genre as Natalie stumbles and thrives along two very different life paths in the company of two very different love interests, both of whom you can’t help but root for. And audiences are certainly embracing the novelty! Written by April Prosser and directed by Wanuri Kahiu, the film quickly rose to Netflix’s number one spot upon debuting last week and has remained there ever since.
In another deviation from typical Tinseltown offerings, the bulk of the movie is set and was shot in Austin, a spot that is largely uncharted territory in the world of romantic comedies. Taking full advantage of all the area has to offer, with Texas playing both itself and L.A., the production highlights an array of scenic backdrops, proving the Lone Star State certainly looks great onscreen!
A handsome colonial at 502 W. San Antonio St. in Lockhart, which currently operates as an Airbnb, is the spot where Natalie takes a pregnancy test at “Look Both Ways'” outset, thereby setting off the movie’s entire chain of events. In the non-pregnancy storyline, Gabe plays a South by Southwest gig at Austin’s famed Stubb’s Bar-B-Q. And Eastside Tech Hub at 2416 E. 6th St. masquerades as the L.A. offices of the Tall Story animation studios, where Natalie gets a job working for her idol, art director Lucy Galloway (Nia Long).
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Image Credit: Google “Look Both Ways’” central location, the residence belonging to Natalie’s parents, quirky empty-nesters Rick (Luke Wilson) and Tina Bennett (Andrea Savage), is also an Austin site. A definite scene-stealer, the thoroughly cinematic midcentury masterpiece can be found at the end of a leafy cul-de-sac at 3403 Westledge Cir. in the Balcones Park neighborhood. Featuring a striking peaked roofline, a handsome rock façade, a glass door trimmed in bright red and a spacious lot enveloped in a gorgeous sea of trees, the pad seems as if it was destined for the screen! (Please remember this is a private home. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way.)
Originally erected in 1960, the post-and-beam stunner was commissioned by local realtor Jim Lindeman and his wife, Suzy, who employed Roland G. Roessner, FAIA, to carry out the design. The longtime University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture professor, who was responsible for founding the college’s Architectural Professional Residency Program, headed up a bustling practice in the area and also designed properties in Florida and Ohio.
Situated on a lush 0.5-acre lot shrouded in foliage, Roessner’s creation makes spectacular use of its surroundings, inviting the outside in through tall glass walls and dramatic clerestory windows, all of which look out upon the verdant grounds.
Boasting four bedrooms and four baths in a spacious 3,248 square feet, the home’s main living area consists of an open floor plan with the kitchen sprawling into the family room and formal dining space. Downstairs, the finished 756-square-foot basement boasts a half bath and is ideal for use as an office or studio.
Following Jim’s passing in 1996, Suzy continued to live on the premises for an additional 14 years, ultimately listing the abode for sale in June 2010, the first time it had been up for grabs since it was initially built five decades prior. According to a commenter on Modern Austin, it sold the same day it hit the market. In pristinely preserved condition at the time, the place looked like a 1960s movie set come to life! In definite need of some updating, the new buyers tastefully modernized the interior while keeping the stellar midcentury bones intact.
The reimagining saw the plethora of dark wood wall paneling removed and the kitchen opened and refreshed, resulting in a bright, contemporary aesthetic, with the property’s beamed ceilings and stone and steel fireplace taking center stage. Though it was set to be listed once again following the rehab in 2014, the pad wound up selling in an off-market deal before it ever even hit the MLS.
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Image Credit: Netflix -
Image Credit: Google “Look Both Ways” showcases the property beautifully, spotlighting its stunning architecture and pristine surroundings throughout the film, primarily in an early scene in which Natalie first announces to her parents that she is pregnant while standing in the front yard.
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Image Credit: Netflix In yet another departure from the Hollywood norm (though it is becoming more common as of late), the production utilized the home’s actual interior instead of a set, shooting scenes in the kitchen, living room, one of the bedrooms and on the bucolic rear porch which runs the entire length of the property. With the striking views on display throughout, the residence certainly made for a gorgeous spot for Natalie to ponder “What If?”