Look Both Ways ending explained: Which life did Natalie choose at the end?

Look Both Ways is currently number one in Netflix’s film list and it’s being received really, really well. The film follows Natalie, a college student who is faced with the result of a pregnancy test the night before her graduation. She’s planned herself a strict five-year plan and being pregnant could change everything. In this moment, Natalie’s life then splits into two possible timelines and explores the potential futures depending on the result of her pregnancy test. The movie blends two timelines throughout its runtime, meaning the ending isn’t massively clear and needs to be explained.

But first here’s a rundown of both of the options Natalie faces.

Option one: She gets pregnant and has the baby

via Netflix

Okay so in the first scenario, Natalie is left with the possibility she is going to be a mother. This pulls apart her hopes and dreams of moving to LA and beginning her career in animation. She then decides to keep the baby and agrees with her father, Gabe, that they should co-parent rather than become a couple as she fears they would only break up. Natalie stays living at her parents house and raises her daughter, Rosie.

Whilst she’s at home being a mum, her best friend Cara goes off to LA and lives her best life. Despite not wanting to get into a relationship with Gabe, Natalie is distressed when she learns he’s in a relationship with another woman. Natalie begins to work on a comic Night Owl and submits it to a festival where it’s really well received. At the end she meets up with Gabe and they agree to give their relationship a proper go. A mess but we back it!

Option two: Natalie doesn’t get pregnant

Okay so differently to the first option, Natalie doesn’t get pregnant in this five-year plan. She then begins to look at her career in animation, moving to LA with her friend and attempts to break into the industry. She meets a guy called Jake and the pair hit it off. She succeeds in getting a job but spends most of her time doing coffee runs rather than being creative.

via Netflix

Jake and Natalie make a plan to move in together but he then receives a dream job offer resulting in him moving away for a while. They try long distance but it all breaks down and Natalie loses her job. She’s about to hit rock bottom when she decided to create a short film, submits it to a festival where it’s a big success (see the link??).

She’s offered a job as an animator and things get back on track with Jake.

Look Both Ways ending explained

The ending of Look Both Ways takes us back to where the film first started and before Natalie’s life is shown in two different paths. She’s about to take her pregnancy test and both future versions of her are there at the moment attempting to reassure her that no matter what happens, everything will turn out okay in the end.

The movie’s ending never actually reveals which of the timelines end up happening but that’s apparently part of the film’s message. No matter which way life goes, everything will work out okay in the end. Natalie’s timelines were both soooo different from one another, both versions saw her five-year plan ruined in some kind of way. But she uses the experiences of each timeline to pursue her ultimate goal of becoming an artist.

Look Both Ways is available now on Netflix. For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Here is where you recognise the cast of Netflix’s Look Both Ways from

• Which couples from both seasons of Love Is Blind are still together?

• Oh no! Danielle from season two of Love Is Blind ‘files for divorce’ from Nick Thompson