Directed by: Bharat Nalluri
Starring: Frances McDormand, Amy Adams, Shirley Henderson, Ciarin Hinds, Tom Payne, Mark Strong, Lee Pace
Rating: PG-13

Frances McDormand and Amy Adams in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. (Courtesy photo)

Honestly, it never occurred to me that the new animated film Horton Hears a Who might turn out to be good. Plus, I couldn’t get my 6-year-old interested, so I was happy to see the very different Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. While the film is no masterpiece—and hasn’t even been as well reviewed as Mr. Horton’s movie—it is a charming little diversion. The cast is surprisingly tony for such a minor confection, and it’s thanks to them that the somewhat strained farce works. Frances McDormand has reached the point where nearly any major role of hers is worth seeking out. She is one of the best at her craft, now adding frumpy British nanny to her resume. Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day makes for an easy to digest night.

McDormand plays Guinevere Pettigrew, a nanny of such staunch morality—even for pre-World War II London—that she has been fired from every job. Desperate for even a bite to eat, Guinevere goes against her standards and connives her way into the apartment of the barely-clad Delysia LaFosse (Amy Adams). The bubbly singer immediately enlists Guinevere to help her out of a jam—a man upstairs and another on the way over. Before she knows what has happened, Delysia has recruited Guinevere as her ‘social secretary,’ and takes her on a memorable day. Guinevere finds herself in the midst of the rich and jazzy, following Delysia from fashion shows to parties to nightclubs. Along the way she runs afoul of conniving socialite Edythe Dubarry (Shirley Henderson), yet seems to run quite fair of Dubarry’s fiancé (Ciarin Hinds). And while Delysia juggles rich suitors Phil and Nick (Tom Payne and Mark Strong), Guinevere knows that the right man for her is her smoldering piano player Michael (Lee Pace).

The biggest treat of Miss Pettigrew is to watch two great actresses with real faces. McDormand (Fargo) was always an unconventional beauty—and often is drawn to characters who are unattractive. She remains offhandedly appealing and sexy at age 52. Amy Adams (Enchanted) is only 33, but her face has wrinkles. It’s also shiny and a little furry. These are disarming details we don’t usually get to see on the faces of rising female stars, and few are rising faster than the enormously talented Adams. Watching the two work together is a thrill, as they clearly seem to enjoy playing off one another. There are some incongruities, however. McDormand’s Miss Pettigrew is a very likable, sensible woman; how did she end up on the streets? We should have seen more of the brittle, intractable side of Guinevere to fully appreciate how much she blossoms throughout the day. As much as we like Delysia, we suspect the equally shallow Nick or Phil might be a better match to Delysia than the more soulful Michael. The script by David Magee (Finding Neverland) and Simon Beaufoy (The Full Monty) leaves out a bit too much of the hard work, replacing real insights with nicely worded banalities. When Guinevere says, “Love is not a game,” it’s meant as the blow that knocks a character to his senses. And though McDormand delivers it beautifully—throaty and wholeheartedly—the line is not exactly a world-changer. Director Bharat Nalluri (of TV’s Hustle and Life on Mars) clearly loves the Noel Coward spirit of the story; he directs more as a fan than as an expert. So we’re left to ultimately soak in the performances.

McDormand is marvelous, and though Adams gets shrill at times, she does make Delysia human enough. It’s a surprisingly racy performance for the usually prim Adams, and she revels in it. Ciarin Hinds (There Will Be Blood, Munich) makes every movie better, and this one is no exception. Shirley Henderson’s villainous Edythe Dubarry gives the movie some much-needed nastiness. Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) looks to be another world-class brooder along the lines of Clive Owen. And the American actor’s accent is spot-on. Mark Strong, so fun as the evil prince in last year’s Stardust, plays another enjoyable rogue as nightclub owner Nick. The versatile Strong should be stealing scenes for years to come.

Miss Pettigrew won’t lose anything on DVD. It’s probably better suited to it, in fact. It reminds me a lot of Mrs. Henderson Presents, another WW II-era movie starring a bunch of pros in slight material. Like Mrs. Henderson, Miss Pettigrew should only improve with age, as the awkward plotting gives way to the pleasure of watching such talents enjoy playing off each other. And it may be suitable for an even wider audience than the much bigger elephant on the screen next door.

Alex Manugian lives in Sherman Oaks, California. He grew up in Groton and has reviewed movies for Harvard residents for many years.