IMDb RATING
6.3/10
15K
YOUR RATING
After her much older husband forces a move to a suburban retirement community, Pippa Lee engages in a period of reflection and finds herself heading toward a quiet nervous breakdown.After her much older husband forces a move to a suburban retirement community, Pippa Lee engages in a period of reflection and finds herself heading toward a quiet nervous breakdown.After her much older husband forces a move to a suburban retirement community, Pippa Lee engages in a period of reflection and finds herself heading toward a quiet nervous breakdown.
- Awards
- 1 win & 4 nominations total
Robin Wright
- Pippa Lee
- (as Robin Wright Penn)
Featured reviews
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.
"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.
More and more, Hollywood is checking out the state of those born in the 50s. The former hippies, with their libertarian ways of life, and what happened to them after the backlash. Why are they nowadays so strangely conservative? What made them become like that?
This is an intelligent version of the theme. Many under-texts show us Pippa Lee as the disastrous teenager and young woman, heading into this relationship with this old man, who pretends to see her, but much more sees himself and his sophisticated needs.
Good acting, good thoughts, unforeseeable feelings, but no real answer to the backlash question.
This is an intelligent version of the theme. Many under-texts show us Pippa Lee as the disastrous teenager and young woman, heading into this relationship with this old man, who pretends to see her, but much more sees himself and his sophisticated needs.
Good acting, good thoughts, unforeseeable feelings, but no real answer to the backlash question.
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.
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.
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.
Remember Lucy Jordan? The tragic heroine of Shel Silverstein's 1975 ballad immortalized by Marianne Faithful? Think of this fabulous movie as of Lucy Jordan's life set in an alternate universe, a universe in which she doesn't kill herself at 37. Rather, she rides out her life as a radiant wife and a loving mother of two. Pippa Lee (Robin Wright Penn) is about ten years older than Lucy Jordan at her time of dying. But her father-figure husband (Alan Arkin), many years her senior, isn't getting any younger, her kids are distant both physically and emotionally, and her friends are really not much help at all. As Pippa starts to lose it, a stranger (Keanu Reeves) comes to town. Writer-director Rebecca Miller, who is also an actress of some distinction, has composed an engaging tale that is touching, but never cheesy. There's a moment in one of the flashbacks when the story is about to take a Charlie Kaufman turn, but it doesn't. No regrets though. Outstanding performances by Robin Wright Penn as Pippa Lee, Blake Lively as her younger self, and Maria Bello as her mother. Guest appearance by Winona Ryder as Pippa's best friend Sandra. Stay for Lucinda Williams, whose 1978 classic "I lost it" is playing over the credits.
Did you know
- TriviaJulianne Moore only spent two days filming her role.
- Alternate versionsThere are two runtimes for the film: "1h 38m(98 min)" and "1h 33m(93 min) (Berlin International) (Germany)".
- SoundtracksTeen Baby
Written by Dwight Sherman
Performed by Gary Trexler
Courtesy of John P. Dixon for Ramco Records and Fervor Records
- How long is The Private Lives of Pippa Lee?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- The Private Lives of Pippa Lee
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $337,356
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $89,950
- Nov 29, 2009
- Gross worldwide
- $2,860,973
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content