Secrets & Lies
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Secrets & Lies
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Secrets & Lies is a BAFTA-winning, darkly comic British family drama with themes of adoption and grief, as well as some strong language. The acclaimed movie carries a positive message of sharing emotions and feelings among family. Almost all the main characters are kind at heart. While some are adrift emotionally, together they learn to improve their situations. The main story revolves around Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), an adopted woman of colour, finding out her birth mother -- played by Brenda Blethyn -- is White and attempting to form a relationship with her. The movie is a drama with comedic moments and features strong language, including "f--k," "s--t," "bollocks," and British slang such as "tosser." Cigarettes are a go-to for stress relief for some characters and others drink wine. There is some talk of sex and contraception, and in one scene a couple kiss and strip on a bed with the implication being they have sex.
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What's the Story?
In SECRETS & LIES, Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), an adopted woman of color, decides to seek out her birth mother. To her surprise, Hortense discovers her birth mother is a White woman with a complicated past and a dysfunctional family.
Is It Any Good?
A benchmark for comedy dramas, this award-winning 1996 film is a bonafide masterpiece. For Secrets & Lies, writer-director Mike Leigh took the 1960s British gritty kitchen sink drama and updated it with laughs and heart, the legacy of which can be seen in all good comedic dramas that followed. This slice of life movie is brimming with just that: life. Its characters are flawed, sometimes absurd, but utterly believable, with every cast member making the screen sizzle. The performances and direction are so good that small-scale set pieces, such as a suburban barbecue, become movie masterclasses.
Despite some difficult themes, including the loss of parents, its message is ultimately hopeful, with growth and warmth underpinning it all. Add to that a never better Brenda Blethyn as factory worker Cynthia, who is reunited with the daughter she gave up for adoption decades ago. The story is drip-fed by Leigh, with the audience having to wait for key revelations that explain behaviors, reactions, and relationships. This never feels unfair though. Instead we lean in, enjoy the company and cringe, laugh, cry, and love along the way.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the strong language used in Secrets & Lies. Did it seem necessary or excessive? Was it needed to make the story more realistic?
Which characters did you most sympathize with? Would you consider any of them role models? How did Hortense demonstrate courage? Why is that such an important character strength to have?
How did the movie portray adoption? Was it handled sensitively? Did it affect Cynthia's life or how Hortense felt about her when they met? Do you know anyone who was adopted, or perhaps you were adopted yourself? How did this portrayal compare?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 27, 1996
- On DVD or streaming: February 1, 2005
- Cast: Brenda Blethyn, Timothy Spall, Marianne Jean-Baptiste
- Director: Mike Leigh
- Studio: October Films
- Genre: Comedy
- Character Strengths: Communication, Courage
- Run time: 136 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: language
- Award: BAFTA
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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