The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

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The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

R

Released Nov 27, 2009

1h 33m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

69%

Tomatometer

75 Reviews

50%

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10,000+ Ratings

Pippa Lee (Robin Wright Penn) is a middle-aged woman married to a much older man named Herb (Alan Arkin), a celebrated publisher. After she and Herb move to a retirement community, Pippa's troubled past bubbles to the surface. Though a neighbor's son (Keanu Reeves) acts as her confidante, Pippa slowly inches toward a nervous breakdown.

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Critics Consensus

Reverential and offbeat, the road trip film Private lives of Pippa Lee takes emotional detours and is elevated by great performances, particularly that of Robin Wright-Penn.

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Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C

Sep 7, 2011

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Perri Nemiroff

CinemaBlend

A feel-good film, both disconcerting and rewarding on all fronts.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 12, 2010

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Ian Buckwalter

NPR

As a woman under the influence of everyone but herself, Pippa often feels lost when she's on her own - a blank slate with no one holding a chalk - Robin Wright Penn allows us to get to know a character who still doesn't really know herself.

Rated: 7.1/10

Jul 4, 2010

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Jason Best

Movie Talk

Robin Wright Penn gives a subtle and soulful performance as a longtime wife and mother belatedly seeking to find herself in middle age.

Nov 22, 2020

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Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

There is an episodic quality to the film that doesn't quite work, but Robin Wright Penn's strong central performance and Miller's capable screenplay deftly navigate the familiar trajectory of the story.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 5, 2019

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Dave White

Movies.com

Rated: 3.5/5

Apr 4, 2011

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Steve D

Strong cast and not much else.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

10/08/23

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Richard E

A fine cast and a quirky story.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

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tom m

I guess I had watched this a decade ago, but I have no recollection of it. In any case, I enjoyed it. Quite a high-powered cast. A well-told story.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Wright's spotty past lands her in a relationship with a man twice her age - but when he winds up having an affair in a nursing home, she finds herself rediscovering herself.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

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nilufer e

I liked this little movie that I have never heard about. The cast was incredible, I liked the characters and the twists, it was a good drama which felt quite real.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

This movie projects many life stories and tells her story as real and raw as it is in life's many journeys. I just loved it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

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Rebecca Miller

Director

Robin Wright

Pippa Lee

Keanu Reeves

Chris

Alan Arkin

Herb Lee

Julianne Moore

Kat

Winona Ryder

Sandra Dulles

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Synopsis

Pippa Lee (Robin Wright Penn) is a middle-aged woman married to a much older man named Herb (Alan Arkin), a celebrated publisher. After she and Herb move to a retirement community, Pippa's troubled past bubbles to the surface. Though a neighbor's son (Keanu Reeves) acts as her confidante, Pippa slowly inches toward a nervous breakdown.

Director: Rebecca Miller
Producer: Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Lemore Syvan
Screenwriter: Rebecca Miller
Distributor: Screen Media Ventures
Production Co: E1 Entertainment, Plan B Entertainment, Elevation Filmworks
Rating: R (Language|Brief Nudity|Sexual Content|Some Drug Material)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 27, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 31, 2012
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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