Private Life, written and directed by Tamara Jenkins - 8 out of 10

Private Life, written and directed by Tamara Jenkins
8 out of 10


Private Life is an original, modern, smart, excellent drama, which has a fair share of comedy in it, unless I am mistaken and found amusing passages where I should have cried...

Kathryn Hahn is great and sensual in some interesting, erotic scenes, one of which has her half naked and her lower part shows pubic hair that seems to have been extinct in the Northern or perhaps Western part of the world.
In fact, there is a talk show somewhere - maybe more - where Cameron Diaz speaks out in support of this bodily feature that is so easily discarded and permanently in so many parts of the world.

As it could be guessed, there is a nostalgia here too and therefore the film may enchant those who long for the good old days.
Evidently, this is just a minor aspect and the greatness of the film does not rest on this, insignificant detail for most audiences, but someone has surely said that minor aspects make a perfect work.

Rachel Biegler aka Kathryn Hahn is an author struggling to get pregnant.
Her husband is Richard Grimes aka the always phenomenal Paul Giamatti.

The couple has tried various fertility treatments without effect.
In fact, this continuous, sustained and hard effort is called a circus by Richard.

At one point, he is very frustrated and gives his perspective to his partner, saying that all this circus has actually driven them apart...

We have no sex life and I am just here to give you injections, he says.

They have to see various doctors, the bills are large, in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Furthermore, it becomes a vicious circle.

One doctor talks about another, who is a great specialist.
A check of ten thousand is required and time is of the essence.

No problem, says Richard

Later on, Rachel demands some explanation, what does he mean with no problem...

Well, if we do not do this, all the other expense would have been for Nothing.

He suggests that they go further, when all the limited therapies fail.
This new territory would involve a third party, a woman who would give her eggs and thus increase the probability of pregnancy from the current four or five per cent to sixty per cent, if I am not wrong.

Rachel is aghast first of having a child that would get something like three parents, instead of one.
Nevertheless, when Sadie becomes an option, she is willing to try this new chance.

This is awkward for Sadie is their...niece.
As one medical assistant points out, it could be incest.

Only she is the daughter of the wife of Richard's brother...the step daughter, so it could work.
As they talk about the prospects, they are all invited for a big family dinner, where the young girl decides to share her news with the extended family.

And it is a disaster!
Her mother is appalled.

There are other problems along he way, some of them medical and more serious.

Private Life is insightful, intelligent and dealing with an important issue of our age, that has not been thoroughly explored so far, if at all.