The Private Lives of Pippa Lee – Review

People go through all sorts of transformations within different stages of their lives. Each one forms us creating who we are in this present day, through the good and the bad. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee greatly touches upon that, showing how the humble wife and mother turned to be how she is and questions if it is the person she thought she’d end up being.

One of the most redeeming qualities of this film is the cast. Robin Wright-Penn shines as the older Pippa who’s caught in a whirlwind of emotions as she hits a point in her life where she questions whether or not she should still act like she does. Blake Lively as the younger Pippa is an even more captivating and interesting version, going with her through some of the most turbulent times in her life that shape her into the woman she ends up becoming. Her take seems refreshing and strong with that hinge of innocence that still lingers within the character. Alan Arkin as Herb Lee is humorous yet gentle as the nurturing male figure and lover in Pippa’s life. The chemistry between him and the actresses who play the two versions of Pippa is different in subtle ways yet still illustrates the strong amount of love that dwells between these two characters. The rest of the cast holds up particularly well. The most annoying for me though is not Keanu Reeves but Winona Ryder as the ridiculously emotionally unstable best friend of the older Pippa who does serve a point in the plot but you wish would just go away.

Rebecca Miller shows once again with grace that she can easily put together her own novel and make it flow beautifully onto the big screen. When it comes to the story, the dialogue and the characters, that along with the simple yet effective visual style of the film keeps you enveloped in Pippa’s world. The production design goes hand in hand with the cinematography with the pure simplicity of it all, still sculpting out the kind of world Pippa lives in.

The story has a clear message and does not beat you over the head with it, unlike some other films that would normally spell it out as if the audience was dumb. The twists and turns that happen for Pippa do not seem particularly forced though a couple do appear predictable towards the end. Each scene smoothly transitions back and forth from Pippa’s earlier life and back to where she is at that current moment as she floats away into her memories.

Not having read the novel and basically loving this film, you can only wonder how it would be diving into Pippa’s world just through text. With the strong performances, simple style and direction, this is a film that should get more publicity and should be viewed by all.

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