CHICAGO – Character comedies that actually have some depth and fun are as rare as boobs without silicone in Hollywood. “Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day” reaches these heights with a sensibility of an old studio picture with stylized glamour, lovable rogues and at the center the great Frances McDormand as the title character taking a chance in 24 sparkling and event-filled hours.

McDormand is Miss Pettigrew: a proper governess in late 1930s London who can’t keep a job because of her stubborn propriety. When the agency that sponsors her refuses to give another reference, Pettigrew takes matters into her own hands by stealing a job posting.

She shows up to begin her situation as a “social secretary” to up-and-coming American actress Delysia Lafosse (the luminous Amy Adams).

Amy Adams and Lee Pace in “Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day”. Photo credit: IMDb

Frances McDormand in “Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day”. Photo credit: IMDb