It’s never too late to start your life…

The Feature

Pippa lee (Robin Wright) is an unselfishly devoted mother and wife.  Her family and friends think she is extraordinary, adaptable and enigmatic.  Unfortunately, Pippa Lee is tired of being those things and tired of not living her life.  When her much older husband Herb (Alan Arkin) moves them to a retirement community to finish out his remaining years, she begins to crack.  Her frustration leads to thoughts of her previous life and her arrival at this point in time.

Through flashbacks, we see Pippa’s birth and her transition into a young adult (Blake Lively).  Her mother’s (Maria Bello) addiction to speed and her treatment of Pippa were incredibly psychologically damaging and forced her from her home when she was sixteen.  She then lived with her aunt, whose lesbian partner caused equal damages to her development.  After leaving there, she led a life without direction until she met Herb. 

Despite Herb saving Pippa from her current situation, he pulls her into the life he has already created.  Pippa quickly became his trophy wife and remained in that role until now and it has led to her current breakdown.  Manifesting itself in sleepwalking and smoking cigarettes, her midlife crisis causes her to meet the neighbor’s son Chris (Keanu Reeves).  They begin to develop a connection that she feels has been missing from her marriage for a very long time.

Pippa’s new exploration strengthens her and she begins to see her life in a new light.  She finds out that Herb has been having an affair and this helps her remove a weight from her mind she’s been carrying for a long time.  She wants to divorce him.  He has a stroke and dies shortly after being told.  With her life now back in her own control, she meets back up with Chris and they leave together.

The many relationships that Pippa has developed throughout her life feel very real.  This is the best part of The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.  I can’t imagine feeling stuck in her life like she was, but we’ve all been in similar situations throughout our own lives and it makes her story identifiable.  Watching her progressively look younger throughout the movie as she starts to regain control of her life and become happier is incredibly enjoyable.

Despite Robin Wright’s amazing performance here, I really think Alan Arkin’s character stole the show for me.  He delivers another awesome performance here and his brand of dry humor and wit work really well in his role as Pippa’s aging husband.  The bitterness his character shows toward Pippa and their slowly degenerating relationship builds with each interaction until it finally reaches its breaking point.  Seeing him at that moment made me believe he was truly a broken man.  The rest of the A list cast is also great here as well.

My only minor complaint with The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is that it really forced me to feel sorry for Pippa even though I felt like she wasn’t deserving of it. She was the one who wanted to marry Herb originally.  She narrates that point during one of her flashbacks. This life she’s living with him is ultimately her fault. When she finds out Herb is having an affair, we are made to feel like she was the victim, but she was already having an affair with Chris.  Many of her situations feel like a double standard, but seeing her change for the better as the movie goes on is still exciting to watch. 

Special Features

The Private Lives of Pippa on Blu-ray comes as a single disc collection with the following:

• Interviews with Robin Wright, Alan Arkin, and Blake Lively
• Audio commentary with Robin Wright and writer/director Rebecca Miller

Despite how great the film was, the extras leave a lot to be desired.  The interviews are incredibly short with all of them clocking in around five and a half minutes combined.  The questions are the same for each actor and the answers are all pretty close-ended.  It ultimately feels like they’re just advertising for the film.  The commentary is pretty dry with Rebecca Miller talking A LOT about how particular shots were done, why choices were made or what was cut. You don’t hear much from Robin Wright unless Miller asks for her opinion. 

Overall

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is a unique and interesting film.  Whether it’s a particular character or situation contained within, this film has something for everyone.  With a great cast and a great story, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is, dare I say it, a great movie. It’s never too late to start your living your life.

ComicsOnline gives The Private Lives of Pippa Lee on Blu-ray 4 out of 5 nervous breakdowns.

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