The screenplay by David Magee and Simon Beaufoy is based on the 1938 novel of the same name by Winifred Watson . However, if you're interested in seeing good acting, excellent art direction, and fun, whimsical characters then you won't be disappointed. Miss Pettigrew finds herself off the streets and in the good life as Delysia Lafosse's social secretary. Clearly a child of the Depression, Lafosse is for the first time somebody, rather than just another woman struggling to survive. The critics have spoken, and what they've said is this: Do not see these... Music title data, credits, and images provided by, Movie title data, credits, and poster art provided by. 2,055 reviews. There are a few times in the movie where that context is significant, but they are very few and are of great portent, but not regarding the plot. But the acting and all is so well done that this "happily ever after" story can just be forgiven and enjoyed. Caught in an aristocratic puzzle of greed, lust, power, and ego, she tries her hardest to remember that love is not a game. Francis McDormand gives an excellent performance as the lead character. Miss Pettigrew was as pleasant and inoffensive as your great-aunt Mabel, but it should have left everyone wiping a tear while doing a little two-step out the door to the jaunty end-title music. Check box if your review contains spoilers, Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day: Meets Edythe, Now Playing: Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day: Meets Edythe, In 1939 London, Miss Guinevere Pettigrew is a middle-aged governess who finds herself once again unfairly dismissed from her job. But the charm that emanates from Amy Adams like a perfume in “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” is also a natural gift. Amy Adams' character is flighty and breathless, running around her pad with no idea what she's doing. Time Out says. Miss Pettigrew then holds a towel up for her, and Delysia gets out of the tub, allowing us several views of the sides of her bare hips as she stands there, wet and holding a towel in front of her. Francis McDorman is a good actress, why she involved herself in this time waster is a mystery. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson. This is the world Miss Pettigrew finds her self swept up into, and where she lives her day…to the fullest. (Oops, I guess you might have figured me for a guy by my review name, papacorn, but I'm solidly female.) Miss Pettigrew is a feel good light hearted romantic comedy, one that we need more of these days. I truly wasn't expecting to care for Pettigrew, but her character grew on me. [Focus Features]. External Reviews Comedy based upon timing, script, and coincidence (the "screwball" part) is very rare. This British comedy looks at one remarkable day in the life of Miss Pettigrew, a London governess who finds herself out of work and desperate for a new situation. After commenting on having a nicely shaped body, she walks across the room, allowing us to see a … In trying to recapture the spirit of classic '30s screwball comedies, the film too often mistakes manic energy for wit, and it ends on a note of gloppy sentimentality that wouldn't have held water in Old Hollywood. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Some reviewers seem disappointed that it has "nothing more" on its mind, but why is that any less satisfying than a well-made action film? A world filled with fashion shows, cocktail parties, and the latest gossip. Taking the "social secretary" designation to heart, she tries to help her new friend Delysia navigate a love life and career, both of which are complicated by the three men in Delysia's orbit: devoted pianist Michael, intimidating nightclub owner Nick, and impressionable junior impresario Phil. An aficionado of music and styles of the 30's and 40's, I couldn't wait to see this movie and was ready to love it. Miss Pettigrew...Miss Pettigrew...Miss Pettigrew... Money or love? Superb acting by Amy Adams. It not an huge story, but a good one. I mean the cast all did their best. I highly recommend this film, go see it and when it comes out on DVD rent it if not buy it. I was drawn to this story of a mousy spinster who gets shaken up in her life after a serendipitous mix up. When I went in I wasn't expecting to laugh as much as I did. She Constantly finds herself out of a job until she meets Delysia Lafosse(Amy Adams). 1939 London comes alive beautifully on the screen, top production values. By. Frances McDormand stars as Miss Pettigrew and when the story opens, she has just been fired from the position as a servant of a wealthy lady. So I saw Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day this morning and I really liked it a lot. But, really, this is McDormand's film, as she is the heart and soul of the picture and deservedly so, for her performance is absolutely enchanting and touching. Let’s get one thing straight: Amy Adams is adorable. Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day Rating & Content Info Why is Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day rated PG-13? By far the best performance was that of Shirley Henderson as Edythe. My favorite parts of the movie are the references to the potential for war between Britain and Germany. Without so much as severance pay, Miss Pettigrew realizes that she must--for the first time in two decades--seize the day. Without so much as severance pay, Miss Pettigrew realizes that she must--for the first time in two decades--seize the day. -I really liked the acting in this one. Guinevere Pettigrew, a strict governess who is unable to keep a job, is fired again… I want to give special notice to Ciaran HInds as Joe Blumfield. Perhaps for this reason it may not be to some people's liking. Adapted from Winifred Watson's novel by the same name and starring the talented Frances McDormand, this film is a gem. Without so much as severance pay, Miss Pettigrew realizes that she must--for the first time in two decades--seize the day. Cute 'feel good movie.' Miss Pettigrew, impoverished spinster, following a last desperate lead on a governess position, falls into the company of Deylisia LaFosse and is instantly embroiled in a hitherto unimagined world of indelicate entanglements. again, amy adams excells. Delysia has had a male guest, overnight, who is not the man who owns the flat where she is currently bunking! Every few years a film comes along that makes you believe in love again. Style is a tricky, elusive thing, and this film doesn’t so much have it as strive for it, constantly. If you are reading this review you know this can be a problem. Full Review | Original Score: 3.0/5 At least Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day has the good grace to go wrong quickly, you don't have to sit there squirming with doubt. Home » 2008 theatrical releases » Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (review) Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (review) by MaryAnn Johanson. Delysia LaFosse. Its always funny and cleverly done. And with the war clouds gathering by story’s end, the fairy tale acquires a bittersweet edge, nicely cutting all that whipped cream. A lot of movie going these days, at least for me, is having seen the best a film has to offer in the television clips/ads. This felt like someone's vanity piece; some producer or director who loved '30s era screwball comedies wanted to make one of their own. The book then follows Miss Pettigrew through a fairytale-like day of dramatic encounters and unlikely events. Needless to say, the sets and costumes from the late 1930's are grand and so are the film's art direction and photography. Read the book. Before this it was The Notebook, Titanic, etc., all the way back to Casablanca and Gone with the Wind. Anyone with knowledge of what happened during the Second World War will recognize it for the powerful harbinger of their future reality. Read the Empire Movie review of Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day at Amazon.com. Nice quality of sound in the theater - I could almost make out the dialog if it weren't for the British accents. Meanwhile Miss Pettigrew meets the lingerie designer Joe Blomfield (Ciarán Hinds), who seems to be attracted to her. FAQ If you're looking for a compelling, daring, high brow documentary then this is not the one for you. Welcome to a world of lavish delights. Its difficult to explain but the innuendo somehow adds a lot to the film. He is suave, mysterious, and rather sweet. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (United Kingdom, 2008) A movie review by James Berardinelli Amy Adams must enjoy fairy tales - this is the second one in … -I fell in love with "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day". Expecting a young boy to have to look after for his rich and busy mother, she finds herself in a world like she has never seen. Considering “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” is a relatively small picture, it only makes sense that its DVD extras follow suit. McDormand has the rare gift of conveying hilarity with her subtle facial expressions alone, and she uses it to perfection here. Recommended. The weird thing is, is that her character could have been such a tramp, but she made it into someone so cute and likable that her and Miss Pettigrew into a great on screen friendship. Frances McDormand was so brilliant and a lot of fun to watch, she's got such a presence on the silver screen and has still got that magical touch. Amy Adams plays the glamorous and high-society singer actress Delysia Lafosse, and when Miss Pettigrew arrives, the apartment is in a state of chaos, Lafosse needs to get the man in her bed dressed and out of the apartment before another man in her life arrives. The acting, well Frances McDormand and Amy Adams as the two leads, need I say more. She still managed to make her portrayal of the character believable despite her acting limitations. If you're a fan of such things, "Pettigrew" is worth seeing solely for its sets. She does does a lot of immoral things in the film which might make you think that you would be turned off by the character, but you'll strangely find yourself rooting for her. I took the bait and was glad I did. The cinematography was perfect, capturing pre-WWII London flawlessly. 13 years ago. Lost in the hostile city, a series of fortunate circumstances lead her to meet Delysia LaFosse, a glamorous and dazzling American jazz singer whose life is a chaos ruled by indecision, a continuous battle between love and fame. She had lost her job as a … | She does experiment with drinking at a party and seems to enjoy the atmosphere. Miss Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) is a penniless nanny, currently out of a job. February 25, 2008. Within minutes, Miss Pettigrew finds herself swept into a heady high-society milieu--and, within hours, living it up. it does admittingly get a bit dull after a while, bull still worth your while. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day was released in 2008 and largely holds up due to the class acts of Frances McDormand, Amy Adams, and Ciarán Hinds (as … Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day intends to unspool like a popped bottle of champagne— fizzy, sparkly and full of air. -The first thing that surprised me about this movie is the amount of humor and innuendo. Hence the name "Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day". Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is an absolute delight to watch from the very beginning up until the final end. Guinevere Pettigrew, a middle-aged London governess, finds herself unfairly dismissed from her job. Review: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Desperate, Miss Pettigrew learns that another employee of the agency is scheduled to go to a job for an actress and intercepts the communication so that the actress believes that Miss Pettigrew was sent by the agency. Amy Adams was just adorable, I really am starting to love her more and more in each movie I see her in, she's just so cute in her role as Delysia. Charming, unpretentious, and well-acted, esp. What a knockout apartment Amy Adam's character had, and the Savoy Hotel, wow again! While Amy Adams was a delight to watch in her role as Delysia, the brightest star in this film is Frances Mcdormand. How light is this movie? By the time there were some enchanting and poignant moments - which only intensified my disappointment over what might have been - the audience seemed frankly bored. There are not many but make up for it in their ominous nature. Acquiring her last job through an agency, she goes there, only to be told that with her record, she is now considered unemployable. 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