Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn Star in First Trailer for Tamara Jenkins’ Netflix Fertility Drama Private Life

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Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn lead the first trailer for writer-director Tamara Jenkins’ Private Life, her first film since 2007’s Oscar-nominated The Savages, out this October via Netflix.

In Private Life, Richard (Giamatti) and Rachel (Hahn) are a middle-aged, artistic couple trying to bring a child into the world and keep their marriage alive, dealing with all the complications of the world of assisted reproduction and domestic adoption. At a most inopportune moment, after an emotionally and financially costly failed attempt at in vitro fertilization, their lives are shaken up by the arrival of their niece, recent college dropout Sadie (newcomer Kayli Carter), who asks to crash with them while dealing with writer’s block. Private Life follows the couple as Sadie’s arrival leads them to grapple with middle age, their artistic ambitions and the state of their relationship.

Also starring are Molly Shannon, John Carroll Lynch and Denis O’Hare.

Netflix picked up Private Life at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, where it premiered in January to critical acclaim. With Private Life coming over a decade since the release of her last film, Jenkins seems to have had quite a tough journey getting such a personal story financed and put onscreen. While there were some grumblings after the festival about whether Netflix would do enough to give Private Life a proper theatrical release, Jenkins’ return after such a long wait is very much welcome.

Netflix will also be giving Private Life a fall film festival push ahead of awards season, including a Main Slate slot at the New York Film Festival.