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Secrets & Lies (1996) 7.9
Ratings:
7.9/10 from 20,288 users
Metascore: 91/100
Reviews: 117 user | 57 critic | 27 from Metacritic.com Successful black woman traces her birth mother to a lower-class white woman, who denies it; emotions run high as everyone's secrets are exposed. Director:Mike LeighWriter:Mike Leigh |
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Timothy Spall | ... | ||
| Phyllis Logan | ... |
Monica Purley
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| Brenda Blethyn | ... | ||
| Claire Rushbrook | ... | ||
| Marianne Jean-Baptiste | ... | ||
| Elizabeth Berrington | ... |
Jane
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Michele Austin | ... |
Dionne
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| Lee Ross | ... |
Paul
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| Lesley Manville | ... |
Social Worker
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| Ron Cook | ... |
Stuart
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Emma Amos | ... |
Girl with Scar
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Brian Bovell | ... |
Hortense's Brother
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Trevor Laird | ... |
Hortense's Brother
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Clare Perkins | ... |
Hortense's Sister-in-Law
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Elias Perkins McCook | ... |
Hortense's Nephew
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Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
Cynthia lives in London with her sullen street-sweeper daughter. Her brother has been successful with his photographer's business and now lives nearby in a more upmarket house. But Cynthia hasn't even been invited round there after a year. So, all round, she feels rather lonely and isolated. Meanwhile, in another part of town, Hortense, adopted at birth but now grown up, starts to try and trace her mother. Written by Jeremy Perkins {J-26}
Taglines:
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.Genres:
DramaParents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
25 October 1996 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Secretos y mentiras See more »Box Office
Budget:
$4,500,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
JPY 8,507,150 (Japan) (20 December 1996)Gross:
$13,417,292 (USA) (16 May 1997)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby SRColor:
Color (Metrocolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Words by Patty S. Hill & Mildred J. Hill (as Mildred Hill)
© Keith Prowse Music Pub Co. Ltd./EMI
Sung by the family at Hortense's birthday party
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Mike Leigh and Brenda Blethyn were both born on February 20th. Mike is exactly 3 years older than her. See more »Goofs
A statement of Hortense's suggests that her family comes from Barbados, and a stamp on a letter among her adoptive mother's papers is almost identifiable as Barbadian on my DVD, but when she puts on a West Indian accent in one scene, apparently imitating her mother, it sounds like broad Jamaican or generic "West Indian", certainly not Bajan, which is a very distinctive accent. See more »Soundtracks
"Happy Birthday to You"Words by Patty S. Hill & Mildred J. Hill (as Mildred Hill)
© Keith Prowse Music Pub Co. Ltd./EMI
Sung by the family at Hortense's birthday party
See more »
This is one of my very favorite movies of the last 10, even 20 years. For me, its greatness lies in the resonance of the story lines, the brilliant acting, (Brenda Blethyn, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Timothy Spall all turned in Oscar-worthy turns, and the rest of the ensemble were all with them), and Mike Leigh's direction.
This is a feast of tremendous acting, by a most talented ensemble who really become their characters. The scenes play out very naturally, and you really feel a part of the story, with special empathy towards - in no particular order - Cynthia, Maurice and Hortense. As the film builds towards a showdown/climax at the birthday party, you can even take a step back and at least sympathize with Roxanne and even, Monica.
This rates 10/10 by this reviewer, who wishes that more directors - if they truly have a good story to tell - will shoot and edit the film in a way that appreciates the audience's intelligence and capacity to feel without being manipulated by a director's avant-garde(??) bag of tricks ...for comparison, perhaps see my scathing review of 21 Grams! What a contrast of styles!!!