Secrets & Lies [IMPORT]

Rating:
Summary: A triumph
Review: In a fine year for British films which saw Trainspotting receive most of the plaudits, Mike Leigh delivered this perfectly realised, realistic and absorbing drama which would dominate Britain's chances for an Academy Award, although predictably fall short come Oscar night.

The plot is essentially derived from British soap opera storylines, although unlike Eastenders(which doesn't depict the east-end very realistically), pulls out all the punches. It is strangely moving and undeniably powerful in its tale of a successful Black woman seeking her birth mother. Leigh chooses not to depict background too strongly, opting for an unsentimental approach until the end when each character is forced to confront the lies and evasions that have been kept from their loved ones.

The character of Hortence is played solidly by Marianne Jean-Baptiste. With both her foster parents dead, Hortense is driven towards a search for her real mother. She is bright, successful and rather quiet on the surface although a strong emotional bond has been absent from her life since her foster mother's death. This void needs to be filled. She discovers that her real mother is white. This leaves Cynthia (Blethyn) rather bemused when they meet up at a train station. Racial issues are intelligently avoided and Leigh's refusal to depict either character's typical working day is a masterstroke.

The story is completely focused on each characters emotional and social well-being, also refusing to bring British stereotypes into the picture. Despite working in a factory and struggling to discipline her bitter daughter Roxanne, Cynthia is surprisingly unsympathetic. Like the average mother she is loud and a pain but Blethyn manages to make her character likeable. This explains our surprise of Hortence's eagerness to continue the relationship with her mother. Cynthia appears only relatively intelligent and Hortence's real father we presume was not very realiable. Hortence has been brought up with a lot of care and skill, hence her depiction as a loving and successfully grown up individual.

Secrets and Lies is never dull or pretentious, nor does it ever drag its story. It is a conventional melodrama that has an awe of cinematic flair about it, managing to distance itself from the average soap opera. It is often funny and touching and was deserving of its success at the global box office.

Rating:
Summary: Must see film!
Review: SECRETS AND LIES is a must see English film with oustanding performances from the entire cast. Without giving the storyline away, the film will provide you with laughs and tears.
Many reviews complain about the DVD copy they have purchased (with unremovable chinese subtitles and poor picture) In Australia, a company called THE GLOBE FILM CO have released an excellent DVD version, with great picture transfer. Keep an eye out for it, if you want to own a decent copy.

Rating:
Summary: Secret and Lies - Chinese Import
Review: Movie is superlative. DVD is very poor. It has no DVD menu. It is impossible to turn the Chinese subtitles off.

Rating:
Summary: Secrets & Lies Import leaves much to be desired
Review: I'm a big fan of the movie Secrets & Lies, so when I heard that it was finally out on DVD I rushed to get it. When it arrived it was an import from Hong Kong with Chinese subtitles that cannot be shut off. The transfer quality is about equal to (or even less than) the VHS version, and there are no extras. While I'm glad I can jump to a scene, I wouldn't be in a great hurry to purchase this disc. Wait until it's done by another company in a more conscientious and fuller way.

Rating:
Summary: A must see
Review: Why this movie is restricted to over-18'sis a mystery to me.It has some of the most superb acting, and very creative directing you will see.The "natural" meeting of the two women near the beginning of the movie is a masterpiece, the more so because it really was natural (they hadn't met before!) The cast istop class from top to bottom, even the bitparts. Brenda Blethyn will drive you crazy with her persistent, whining "darlin", but you'll love her just the same.

Rating:
Summary: SECRETS & LIES CHINESE IMPORT
Review: This is my favorite film of alltime and I got so excited that it was available, that I didn't notice it was a Chinese import. The quality of the DVD is LOUSY at best. I'm not even sure it's not a bootleg. DO NOT BUY! Wait for a decent quality version.

Rating:
Summary: chinese subtitles?!
Review: When it said "import" I didn't expect Hong Kong. This is one of my favorite movies. The story, screenplay, directing, acting and editing are superb. Aquiring it on DVD was exciting, since I could never find it anywhere. But chinese subtitles. If I would have been warned, well, I would have bought it anyway. It's a great movie, regardless, but the subtitles make it anoying. Much worse, you can't remove them. Im just glad it wasn't dubbed!

Rating:
Summary: AVOID THE DVD (IMPORT) VERSION
Review: I, too, ordered this DVD from Amazon--only to find that it has Chinese subtitles that you CANNOT turn off. Amazon should absolutely include this information in their technical description. The picture quality was poor, and there is no menu or additional features. I could have overlooked the lack of features, but the subtitles are completely distracting. (Additional note: expect the same problem if you order the DVD (import) version of Beautiful Thing, another fabulous British film from a few years ago.)

Rating:
Summary: Warning [IMPORT]
Review: Although "Secrets & Lies" by Mike Leigh is a great movie, a five (5) star movie, this version on DVD is not. The [IMPORT] label on the title does not mean it's from England. Instead, it's an Asian import with large Chinese character subtitles on the bottom of the screen. These are not optional subtitles; you can not remove them and they can be very annoying at times. In fact, there are no other subtitles available, even though English subtitles would have been very helpful with the dialogue at times. Sorry to give you the bad news for such a fine movie.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie!
Review: I thouroughly enjoyed this movie. I have added to my list of favorite actresses Brenda Blethyn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

I enjoyed the sensitivities explored in this movie. Brenda Blethyn is wonderful as a single mother who is down trodden and looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. Who would have ever thought that light would be Marianne Jean-Baptiste, as the daughter she never knew she had. To go even deeper would take away from the movie. It is really worth checking out to see where all the twists and turns take you.