Skip to main content

Dome Pondering Movie Review: Private Life (2018)


What is it about?

A couple struggling with fertility go to great lengths, even at the risk of their marriage.
Who is in it?

Kathryn Hahn - Rachel

Paul Giamatti - Richard


Favorite Scene:

Rachel storms around the house in the middle of a tirade, does so pants-less, and then goes and scrubs the tub in the bathroom.

Favorite Quote:

Sadie: Oh, my God, look at us. We're like an ad for assholes.

Rachel Biegler: You mean we're assholes, or we're part of an ad that's targeted to assholes?

Sadie: No, it's just that whole... people with cappuccinos in their lofts, with their laptops, dogs, with messy hair. You know, that whole fantasy. It's not your fault. You guys are authentic and real, you've just been co-opted by cultural mechanisms that create desirability. I took a media and consumer society course. It was pretty life-altering.

Review:

It's films like Private Life that make you really appreciate Netflix and the original content they produce. This film is absolutely fantastic on so many fronts and in so many ways, most noticeably, the focus it places on infertility, and the many aspects surrounding it.

Private Life is a fantastic tragedy. The film lets you in on the struggles and strains that come along with infertility, especially on the scope a person's marriage in trying to conceive. From the drugs, the discussions, the hope, and pitfalls - all of it felt like a surreal education into a life many overlook or are blessed to not have experienced.

Hahn and Giamatti - as always! - are absolutely fantastic. The film progress continues to will you to root for this couple who have gone to so many lengths just to have a child together.

Private Life is fantastic. If you want a film that is artistic, informative, entertaining, profound and very funny - this is it.

Grade: 4.5/5

Recently Read

Would You Rather: Questions 121-130

This edition of "Would You Rather" is credited to the NBA Would You Rather NBA Account on Instagram ( See Here ). Adding to the fun, this edition (and possibly future ones) are all NBA basketball questions.  121. Who would you rather have on your favorite NBA team - Giannis Antetokounpo or James Harden?  Seeing how I'm a lifelong suffering Knicks fan, the thought of any of these guys in blue and orange is hard to believe. With that said, I'm taking the Greek Freak for this reason - I enjoy watching him play a bit more. Nothing against Harden who is amazing as well, but at times, the ball sticks and that isn't always fun. Plus, I feel like we haven't yet seen a finished Giannis. 122. Would you rather have Giannis Antetokounpo with no driving ability or James Harden with no Three-Point shooting ability?  This is definitely a weird and unique one, but I'll take Harden. Giannis without his strength doesn't offer much. However, if Harden's d...

Knicks Postseason 2026, NBA Finals vs. San Antonio Spurs

Part of me is in disbelief that we are here...the other part is raging and ready to go. Four more wins! Let's. GO! So much of this NBA Finals feels poetic, historical, and dream-worthy, for so many reasons, to so many different parties. This includes the NBA office. I'm sure they are loving this matchup for their biggest stage.  While defeating the Spurs does exercise some demons from 1999, I'm not sure I care about that at all. As noted from my thoughts in the Eastern Conference Finals, at this point, just win. Review Thoughts from Round 1 Review Thoughts from Round 2 Review Thoughts from Eastern Conference Finals Just. Win.  I don't care who the opponent is. The narrative that comes with it, or how we do it.  Just. Win. The NBA Cup win seems like whiteboard material for them, yet a serving example for us to match up with them. Again, it doesn't matter. Both teams are completely different beasts since November, through growth and experience.  This all comes down to...

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 6/7/26

Sunday Sunday Rundown (formerly in the format of "3 Up and 3 Down") is where I share thoughts on three topics that piqued my interest along with my favorite photo from the week.  Artificial Intelligence in K-12 This week, I had the opportunity to talk to two dads who work in K-12 education. One is a teacher, and the other is a tech engineer who provides the digital infrastructure for a school district. What I came away with was that artificial intelligence was being slowly integrated into teachers' everyday lives, with some restrictions. However, the tech engineer gave me real insight (with real-time laptop evidence) of some of the tools being built to automate everything from bus schedules and communications to medical visits and disciplinary processes.  All of that to say, just when you think you understand the power of A.I., there are so many levels to it all .  So many... Sports Media Space With the recent run of my New York Knicks (you can see my comments after ever...