Review of Secrets & Lies (1996) by Kyle F — 18 Mar 2009

This film was a very pleasant surprise. Ringing in at a whopping 2 hours and 21 minutes, I expected that the slow pace of British comedy would make me drowsy. However, I came to find myself quite intrigued by the drama that ensued and became wrapped up in the story.

While the film does drag on at times, the pace is balanced for the most part. The film is very well-made with lush colors and great acting. I really loved the way the director stretched out scenes without any cuts. Some of these segments were long enough that you almost forgot you were watching a film and instead felt like you were eavesdropping on the troubles of a British family.

The lovely mix of serious moments with comedic, tongue-in-cheek British humor sprinkled throughout works very well. Timothy Spall and Brenda Blethyn really deliver well in their respective roles as down-to-earth, caring photographer (Spall) and an eccentric, aging single mother (Blethyn).

All in all an entertaining film that definitely exceeded my expectations and probably one of the better British dramas I've seen lately. I am interested to see more work from Mike Leigh.