Written and directed by Rebecca Miller (The Ballad of Jack and Rose), The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is a film that, like Thelma and Louise and those that have followed in its footsteps, seems best suited for women who yea... more »rn for a little adventure. The female characters in this film are better developed than the male, which on one hand makes one more sympathetic to Pippa and her plight, but on the other hand makes it difficult to imagine any man watching the movie with interest. The story focuses on Pippa Lee (Robin Wright Penn), a middle-aged woman married to an older man, publisher Herb Lee (Alan Arkin), with whom she feels bored and disconnected. Flashing back through time, scenes depict Pippa as a young girl (played by Madeline McNulty), then as a rambunctious, drug-addled twenty-something (played by Blake Lively). Some scenes, set in the 1960s and 1970s, feature Suky Sarkissian (Maria Bello), Pippa's hyper, dysfunctional mother, acting out her suburban housewife malaise to imply that boredom among married women is a contagious curse. Before Pippa Sarkissian gives her hand in marriage to the chauvinistic Lee, a few fun, original scenes do occur that spice up this generally tepid film. As Pippa leaves her childhood home, she encounters the most dynamic characters in the film, her Aunt Trish (Robin Weigart) and Trish's girlfriend, Kat (Julianne Moore), who teach her what it means to relish sexual freedom. However, Pippa grows into an uptight and unhappy woman who is only slightly rescued by her neighbor's son, Chris (Keanu Reeves). Since the film portrays a woman who is rather dull, it unfortunately suffers from a lack of passion as well. Still, the moments in which Pippa's surviving family does succeed and thrive may remind the viewer of that old phrase carpe diem. --Trinie Dalton« less
Movie Details
Actors:Alan Arkin, Ryan Mcdonald Creators:Robin Wright Penn, Mike Binder, Winona Ryder Genres:Drama Sub-Genres:Drama Studio:Screen Media/Gaiam Format:DVD - Color,Widescreen DVD Release Date: 03/02/2010 Original Release Date: 01/01/2009 Theatrical Release Date: 00/00/2009 Release Year: 2010 Screens: Color,Widescreen Number of Discs: 1 SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 1 MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Languages:English