Poster art for "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day."

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Avg. Critic Score: 63 out of 100 Generally favorable reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
13 OK for kids 13+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 100
    San Francisco Chronicle | Ruthe Stein

    Frothy and exuberantly entertaining - in part because of the sexual innuendoes - it's the best romantic comedy so far this year. Read full review

  • 80
    The Hollywood Reporter | Kirk Honeycutt

    Sustains itself through terrific forward momentum and two glorious star turns by gifted actresses Frances McDormand and Amy Adams. Read full review

  • 75
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    A good farce is hard to find. Particularly one that holds up for the entirety of the story and keeps us engrossed, while smiling. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is a particularly effective and cheeky example. Read full review

  • 70
    The New York Times | Stephen Holden

    How light is this movie? So buoyant that even an air raid warning, signaling that this whole world is about to crumble under the blitz, can't dampen its giddy spirits. Read full review

  • 70
    Variety | Todd McCarthy

    McDormand's performance slowly builds a solid integrity, and contrasts well with Adams' more flamboyant turn. Read full review

  • 70
    Los Angeles Times | Carina Chocano

    Bharat Nalluri directs with a light touch and a great eye for costumes and sets, which are gorgeous enough to make up for any contrivances in the plot. It's pure romantic fantasy, and you won't believe it for a minute. But it's fun to watch Miss Pettigrew and Miss Lafosse live for a couple of hours. Read full review

  • 70
    Washington Post | Ann Hornaday

    The film's flaws are nothing compared with the pleasures it offers, chiefly in its unapologetic pursuit of old-fashioned sweetness and romance. Read full review

  • 58
    Entertainment Weekly | Lisa Schwarzbaum

    Adams, of course, is a peach. Her sparkle requires only minor character adjustment and twinkle recharging from her recent triumph as the old-fashioned modern heroine in "Enchanted." Read full review

  • 50
    Boston Globe | Wesley Morris

    It's polished-looking, yet dull. Read full review

  • 40
    Wall Street Journal | Joe Morgenstern

    At least Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day has the good grace to go wrong quickly, you don't have to sit there squirming with doubt. Read full review

View more reviews for Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 13+ Charming period comedy is a frothy fairy tale.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this is essentially a feel-good fairy tale, albeit one with adult overtones. There's some partial nudity -- Amy Adams parades around in one scene with nothing but a towel covering her front, for example -- and a handful of innuendoes. The plot is fairly mature, too, in that it's about a woman who craves stardom and will do everything -- including bed a producer -- to achieve it, even if it means losing the one man who's right for her. But there's no swearing except for "damn," and the smoking and social drinking are accurate for the late-'30s setting. And the movie approaches its heavier topics with a delightfully light touch, ultimately sending a positive, life-affirming message.
  • Families can talk about what drives Delysia to succeed. Do you see any parallels between her situation and that of today's aspiring media stars? Why are people willing to make sacrifices to be famous? Families can also discuss why Miss Pettigrew has such an effect on Delysia. What effect does she have on Miss Pettigrew? In the movie, they both undergo an overnight change; is that believable? If not, does it matter? What do they learn from each other?
The good stuff
  • message true0 Positive messages: An ambitious woman is poised to throw away the love of her life to achieve stardom; she juggles three suitors (without telling any of them about the others) -- one for connections, another for the thrill, and a third for love. Nevertheless, she's sweet and warm and helps Miss Pettigrew out of her shell. And in the end, love triumphs.
What to watch for
  • violence false0 Violence: A fistfight breaks out in a nightclub, and a man punches another with glee. World War II looms over the entire proceedings as bombers fly over London.
  • sex false3 Sex: Lots of sexual innuendo doled out in witty repartee; a woman walks into a bedroom and finds a man naked under a sheet (there's an oblique reference to his erection, though that word isn't used); Delysia swoons over her "passionate" suitors; at one point, she steps out of a bath and prances around naked except for a towel that covers her front (the side of her body from shoulder to legs is visible, but no sensitive bits); she also walks around in lingerie; another woman cheats on her boyfriend and is witnessed kissing another man.
  • language false0 Language: Squeaky clean, except for "hell" and "damn," which one character says doesn't really count as swearing anyway.
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Signage for the Savoy Hotel; mention of a lingerie store; Miss Pettigrew and Delysia go shopping.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Cocktails flow easily and often; some social smoking (accurate for the period).
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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Dave White

3.5

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… it's kind of boring … Read full review See Dave White's on MOVIENAME on Movies.com

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