Class Appeal

 

 

Labelled a romantic comedy, the latter was definitely missing in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. To be precise, in the span of 1 hour 35 minutes, there were exactly 4 scenes that elicited even a giggle. However, for a debutant director, Bharat Narulli does a good job in depicting the London of 1930s.

The movie is set in 1939 just before the commencement of World War II and revolves around a day in the life of penniless Guinevere Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) whose only concern is where she could get her next meal after she is fired from her fourth job. When the head of the employment agency also throws her out, she flees with the card of a potential employer and lands at the house of an aspiring American singer and actress, Delysia Lafosse’s (Amy Adams) not knowing that the job is of a social secretary and not a nanny. Pettigrew learns of the mayhem that is Delysia’s love life (who, involved with three men is caught between love and career) and decides to help her. Guinevere witnesses two sides of London, and goes from streets to the sophisticated social circuits, and sees how the rich and the famous remain unaffected by the harsh realities of the world.

The story is nothing but old wine in a new bottle, the dialogues are often mundane and at times the movie drifts from being a light-hearted comedy to being introspective and serious and ends up becoming something that will perhaps only find a niche audience. Amy Adams, like she did in ‘Enchanted’ lights up the screen with her fresh face and effervescence while Frances McDormand’s transition from being dowdy and unkempt nanny to a chic social secretary showcases her talent. However, wearing two hats of a distinctly light hearted comedy and a sensitive romantic tale, the movie ends up confused. Much like Miss Pettigrew herself!