Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day

So…after a long hiatus from watching movies, I dove back into the movie pool with Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. It was a good one to start back in with, too…I really liked it. The movie tells the story of Miss Pettigrew, (played by Frances McDormand, who is wonderful) who is a British nanny, quite unlike Mary Poppins. As opposed to Miss Poppins, Miss Pettigrew seems to be practically UN-perfect in every way…at least according to the families she has served. After being dismissed by one family after another, she finds herself at the placement agency, and is told that they aren’t willing to give her any more jobs. Desperate for employment, she takes a reference card from her boss’s desk before leaving, and heads to what she thinks is another nannying gig.

Instead of finding children who need care, however, Miss Pettigrew finds Delysia Lafosse, (played by Amy Adams, who is fabulous) an American singer in London, who needs a different kind of care. Delysia had contacted the employment agency to find a social secretary, not a nanny, and while she has no experience with such things, Miss Pettigrew pretends that she’s been sent to fill the position, simply to keep the job.

The day that follows is unlike anything that Miss Pettigrew has ever experienced. In spite of the fact that Delysia is spoiled and seemingly airheaded, she and Miss Pettigrew connect almost immediately, and Miss Pettigrew honestly DOES want to take care of Delysia. She is immediately thrust into the life that Delysia lives, complete with numerous boyfriends, fashion shows, socialite friends, and lingerie designers. During a stop on at the salon, Delysia treats Miss Pettigrew to a makeover, and she begins to think that maybe…just maybe…she might fit in with this crowd, if only on the surface.

Miss Pettigrew meets some people who continue to judge her based on the world that she came from (poverty) and those who see that there is more to her than meets the eye. As she does everything she can to help Delysia make it through what she considers the most important day of her life, Miss Pettigrew is able to live what becomes the most important day of her life, as well. With the help of those who see her for the beautiful and good person that she really is…she is able to finally see herself that way.

I liked this movie for a lot of reasons. First off, I generally like movies that have British characters, because I’m totally infatuated with the accent, and tend to use it for a while after watching the movie. While this might annoy others, I really don’t care…it is who I am. But the story itself is just good. The two women in the story are polar opposites, but in each other they find true friendship, which neither of them has really experienced much of before. Though they are together for only one day…the effects of that one day in both of their lives is lasting. Basically nobody should ever underestimate the good that they can do by simply being a friend to someone else.

Long story short…it was a fun movie, it was touching, and I loved it!