Amy Adams Continues To Enchant In “Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day” Along With Frances MacDormand

Though I was too busy wasting my time watching Gus Van Sant’s Paranoid Park this weekend, a movie that reminded me of how much I hated my childhood while conjuring up horribly vivid memories of all those times I almost mistakenly killed someone but didn’t, Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day might actually have been worth seeing.

Michigan Daily describes it as an “A frothy mixture of sex-farce and Cinderella story...a throwback to old Hollywood films. It's a light-hearted story, impressively so considering the threats of World War II, air raid sirens, depression and hunger hanging so blatantly over its head. Despite these downers, "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" maintains its giddiness due to the strengths of its two leading women (Amy Adams and Frances MacDormand)."

Yes, World War II is definitely a downer, but I’m glad the two women were able to maintain their giddiness throughout.

But I agree with Oneindia.com’s film critic on this one:

“Telugu NRI Bharat Nalluri's Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day has baffled the critics in US by doing usually well. Though it was released with big movies like 10000 BC and The Bank Job...Bharat Nalluri, who was born in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, has directed this film for the first time. He is a director in British Television. His name and woks are closely associated with production company Kudos Film and Television.”

Baffling.  Just baffling.  Like my hatred for Paranoid Park, as Van Sant shows us he is indeed emotionally stunted, I am equally disgusted and fearful that there is a widespread hope for a Cinderella story living well and strong in our social consciousness. God damn it, didn’t Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah's Splash give us enough of that?  We even got underwater adventure and John Candy with that one.  If I have to bite into a lobster with my bare teeth as part of a pact with the Devil in order to stomp out this Cinderella fantasy that is ruining the minds of children and adults alike, I will.  Yes, my friend, this I would do for you.  I would also take a bullet for Johnny Depp.

In any case, on opening weekend, Miss Pettigrew made out with 2.5 million in just 535 theaters, so good job Bharat Nalluri – thanks for taking some stupid American Dream and kicking it with some British/Andhra Pradesh ass and making in into a sort of baffling success.  I haven’t seen it yet, but I may, after my pact with the Devil is complete.