Roxanne drives her mother crazy. Maurice never speaks to his niece. Cynthia has a shock for her family. Monica can't talk to her husband. Hortense has never met her mother.
After her adoptive mother dies, Hortense, a successful black optometrist, seeks out her birth mother. She's shocked when her research leads her to Cynthia, a working class white woman.
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Character
Earnest, contemporary, prestige and contemplative.
- earnestironic
- contemporarynostalgic
- unpretentiousprestige
- contemplativerelentless
- character-ledplot-driven
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“Is this Mike Leigh's best work?”
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“Is Brenda Blethyn the best thing in Secrets & Lies?”
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Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- CinemaSerfon TMDB · Dec 20257/10
I reckon the fact that so many nations put this on their awards radar must suggest a lot of resonance with families, not just in Britain, who are having to come to terms with a myriad of contentious circumstances as they try to live day to day. This centres around the drink-loving “Cynthia” (Brenda Blethyn) who lives with a daughter “Roxanne” (Claire Rushbrook) who has a lively rapport with her boyfriend “Paul” (Lee Ross). Then she gets a phone call from a woman calling herself “Elizabeth”. No, not her dead mum but her long-since adopted daughter. Yep, it’s that brutal. Not surprisingly, “Cynthia” is a bit distraught by this news but agrees to meet this woman, a black lady called “Hortense” (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), at a London tube station. Now the latter woman knows of the colour difference, but the former doesn’t and so gets another of what are going to be quite a few shocks as they meet and begin to explore the potential for a relationship. Meantime, her photographer brother “Maurice” (Timothy Spall) and wife “Monica” (Phyllis Logan) are having problems of their own and as the plot develops we begin to appreciate more why the film is called “Secrets and Lies”. It might be a tes
Read the whole review on TMDB - griggs79on TMDB · Dec 20249/10
_Secrets & Lies_ is a compelling film that delves into the themes of family, identity, and the profound impact of shame on relationships. It skillfully intertwines raw emotion with a sense of honesty that reverberates throughout the narrative. The performances are remarkably authentic, fostering a strong connection with the characters and their struggles with their own secrets. The dialogue feels genuine and relatable, capturing how people talk, which adds to the film's authenticity. Each moment unfolds in a way that feels true to life, drawing you into the narrative and prompting you to reflect on your own experiences and relationships. Ultimately, _Secrets & Lies_ is a deeply moving film that prompts you to contemplate your own family dynamics. It challenges viewers to reconsider the impact of shame on personal and familial relationships, and the unspoken truths we often carry.
Read the whole review on TMDB - Filipe Manuel Netoon TMDB · May 20236/10
**A good work, currently forgotten.** Just when I think I've seen all sorts of movies about racism, issues of race or prejudice, there's something new that comes out of nowhere, or some meritorious, well-made effort that's worth seeing. This film, initially, seemed to me just a sweet and average drama in which a black woman, very successful, decides to discover the identity of her biological mother and discovers that she is white, and the difficulties and dramas of her family. It was nominated for six Oscars, losing them one by one, but without any demerits. Observing the film very closely, we can easily verify that it is not a visual or effects spectacle. On a technical level, it's a lukewarm, not to say uninteresting, uninteresting film. Even the soundtrack, which is usually a technical device that even the most regular movies tend to improve on, is pretty forgettable. Where the film really scores favorably is with regard to the script and direction. It's not a flashy movie, with a complicated or far-fetched story. Things are simple, direct and solid, and the story told is credible, effective. The script, which does not come from the North American milieu in which ethnicity, skin
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Cast
- Brenda BlethynCynthia Rose Purley
- Marianne Jean-BaptisteHortense Cumberbatch
- Timothy SpallMaurice Purley
- Phyllis LoganMonica Purley
- Claire RushbrookRoxanne Purley
- Lee RossPaul
- Lesley ManvilleThe Social Worker
- Elizabeth BerringtonJane
- Michele AustinDionne
- Ron CookStuart
Crew
- Mike LeighDirector
- Mike LeighWriter
- Dick PopeDirector of Photography
- Andrew DicksonOriginal Music Composer
- Jon GregoryEditor
- Simon Channing WilliamsProducer
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