Review by Bilge Ebiri
How ironic that a film so determinedly old-fashioned should be undone, at least in part, by lack of style. Directed by Bharat Nalluri and adapted by David Magee and Simon Beaufoy from Winifred Watson's novel, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is eager to recreate the glories of a different time, and a different era of moviemaking. Complete with rapid, witty dialogue and mannered performances, Miss Pettigrew concerns a hapless London governess (Frances McDormand) who winds up, during the Blitz, becoming social secretary to a glitzy, ditzy actress (Amy Adams) and helping her juggle a rather complex love life. It could have succeeded, were it not for its singularly drab visuals and its leaden rhythms. It's a TV movie posing as a '40s bedroom farce. Despite a whole set of terrific performances and a sparkling script, it fails to recreate the excitement of the movies' golden age.
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