Review of Secrets & Lies (1996) by Susan P — 02 Mar 2008

'Secrets and lies! We're all in pain. Why can't we share our pain?'.

Mike Leigh has a weakness for creating caricatures in his social satires (Who's Who). Granted, these films are often still very funny (Abigail's Party, Nuts in May). But they lack the realism and humanity of his other films such as Life is Sweet, High Hopes, and Vera Drake.

But I think Secrets and Lies is Mike Leigh's masterpiece. None of that harshness is in evidence here. Instead, we get a sympathetic family drama that is scrupulously honest and, in the end, heartbreakingly hopeful.

All of the actors give stunning naturalistic performances. You feel as though they are real people living in the real world. As in all Mike Leigh films, they also improvised the majority of the dialogue from his outline. How many actors could do this so well?

I cannot say how many times I have seen this movie, but it still has the power to bring me to tears. It is a jewel in the crown of British cinema.