“You know what? Don’t knock denial. It comes in very handy. You should try it sometime.”

Richard Grimes

The problem with the Netflix distribution model is that its limited promotion meant I could very easily have missed one of the best films of 2018. Private Life sheds light on a couple engaging in fertility treatment — a subject that remains needlessly taboo, meaning that many couples have to battle it in near isolation. I am lucky that several friends have felt able to confide in me, but that has served to highlight the clear lack of support for the inevitable disappointments along the way. Private Life approaches this openly but with a wry sense of humour. Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn are both excellent, with a witty and honest portrayal of the frustration and emotional toil. Even when addressing wider familial implications, there is no melodramatic artifice — just an engaging and endearing view of difficult personal experiences.

9/10