3 out of 5 Frances McDormand heads
Move over, Reese Witherspoon: America has a new sweetheart, and her name is Amy Adams.
Adams brings that perfect mix of adorableness and accessibility to all of her roles, including her latest as a promiscuous, aspiring actress named Delysia Lafosse in “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.” Frances McDormand stars alongside Adams as Miss Pettigrew, an unemployed, middle-aged single woman (I refuse to use the word spinster), who, when unable to find a job through her employment agency, tricks her way into becoming Delysia’s “social secretary.” Miss Pettigrew turns out to be surprisingly good at her made-up job, and spends the day helping Delysia deal with the myriad of men in her life. Along the way, she stumbles into a romance of her own and helps Delysia realize what really matters in life.
With less talented lead actresses, the stylized schmaltz of the movie might have been too much; but with the help of the masterful McDormand and Adams, the movie is able to walk the fine line between charmingly cheesy and eye-roll-inducing without toppling over the edge. It is essentially a fairytale set in the word of late 1930s high society London, complete with a soundtrack of upbeat jazz, a makeover scene and an unabashedly happy ending that would make any Disney executive proud: The good guys win, and no one gets hurt who didn’t deserve it anyway.
Based on the novel by Winifred Watson and directed by Bharat Nalluri, with a screenplay by David Magee and Simon Beaufoy, “Miss Pettigrew” is set on the eve of World War II. It brushes upon some serious issues; but on the whole, focuses on its feel-good message of being true to yourself and living life to its fullest. And there’s nothing wrong with that; “Miss Pettigrew” succeeds exactly because it’s not trying to be anything other than a fun, if predictable, fantasy.
*DISCLAIMER: This review is intended for female audiences only. Male viewers should proceed at their own risk. Although you do almost see Amy Adams naked, if that’s any incentive.