A Vida Íntima de Pippa Lee

The feeling that we all are crossing paths one versus another, yet not noticing but shadows, not humans, overcame me, viewing for the first time this movie. I will not see the movie again, because of the hard feelings that transcend from each chapter.

Everything here is not about the plot, but about solitude and neglecting the stranger that is passing on your street, walking shoulder to shoulder with you, or living in the same house you live. I have found myself remembering fragments from "The Stand", starring Gary Sinise, 1994, in the end of the movie. Do we need an Apocalypse to make us notice the others, living or passing next to you? Is it more important to enter museums or noticing the way people from other country live their lives, when visiting crossing borders? The whole cast is like a feast, playing their parts wonderfully. I have wondered why a mega star like Keanu Reeves (even controversial), had has accepted this short supporting role. I have thought that he has sensed this about his character: probably the only one meant to bring hope, versatility, and future in the story. My best regards for his talent.

I attended the North American Premiere of "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee" at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. Written and directed by Rebecca Miller from her own book, this is the complex, multi-layered life story of a woman trying to survive her checkered past. Its stellar cast makes this film a joy -- Robin Wright Penn is extraordinary as the titular character, while Keanu Reeves, Blake Lively, and Winona Ryder truly shine in supporting roles. But "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee" is, most of all, a vehicle for the legendary Alan Arkin as Pippa's husband Herb Lee. He's at his best yet.

The script is about 5/50 drama and comedy so it's hard to pin it down either way. But that's what real life is, isn't it? The art and costume direction are superb with great care taken to ensure that each of Pippa Lee's "lives" has its own unique color palette and sets to match. Keeping it all together is a wonderful recurring musical theme and sweet score. There are a number of clever transitions between sets and time periods which were not done with computers but "in-camera." As an aficionado of the craft of film-making, these set tricks blew me away.

This film is about the disintegration of the life of Pippa Lee, a suburban housewife with a shady past.

"The Private Lives of Pippa Lee" has a very strong cast, and their acting talents are put into full use. However, the story does not seem to go anywhere. I do not find a reason why I should care or feel for Pippa Lee. Bad things happened to her when she was teenage, and bad things happen to her now. But so what? The film gives us no compelling reason why we should care about her life story, which could have been anyone's life story.

I find "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee" boring and not engaging. I am disappointed, especially because of the strong cast.

I was expecting this film to follow yet another "troubled housewife that pretends to be content" storyline, and it kind of does. But it plays it out in such an interesting and original manner. Nothing goes as expected, and all of the actors play their parts brilliantly. Blake Lively performs her part so beautifully that it is easy to see she will soon break out of the "Gossip Girl" personality that is so often pinned on her. Keanu Reeves is excellent in his role as well, and Maria Bello, Julianne Moore, Winona Ryder, and Alan Arkin show that they are still excellent actors and will continue thriving. But it is really Robin Wright Penn that steals the show in Pippa Lee. She performs naturally and makes her character hold more depth and presence then was imaginable. Only problem I found was the transition between the young Pippa Lee and the older one. I never quite understood how the young became the old, because of the huge differences between the actresses' roles. How did the young Pippa really become the older Pippa? No explanations offered were quite satisfying.

But altogether, this was a fantastic film and I recommend it for everyone with 93 minutes to spare to go see it immediately.

This will be regarded as 'a woman's movie' since it is written and directed by a woman (Rebecca Miller) and its central character (Robin Wright Penn) and most of the support roles (Julianne Moore, Winona Ryder, Blake Lively, Mario Bello, Monica Bellucci) are women too. But the male roles (Alan Arkin and Keanu Reeves) contribute to a stellar cast and the themes of self-discovery and self-expression are universal. If Pippa is angst-ridden, it's because she's had a traumatic life and the movie reveals a series of dramatic incidents, while concluding on a hopeful note. With not a car chase or a special effect in sight, this is an adult film in the proper sense of the word and as such well-worth viewing.