RobLuvsTheMountains Review of The Secret Scripture

The Secret Scripture (2016)

infuriating, annoying, flummoxing then it falls flat

[5/10 · 23 January 2019]

The problems with this film are the way things are portrayed don't match the people's actions. Gaunt's and Rose's first meeting was creepy and weird. But he becomes infatuated with her. He later drops her off down the street from her destination b/c people will get the wrong idea. Then he openly engages in behavior I would describe as "courting." I actually said to my spouse, "Maybe he's Episcopalian. They can marry." But, Gaunt is Catholic. Gaunt spends the movie doing the damnedest things. Some of his actions left me flummoxed. Some of his actions were so awful and despicable I thought he shoulda been the one shot in the cabin. I haven't seen Mara, "Rose", in anything else, that I can remember. I felt like her character was really odd, but not in a captivating way. While Gaunt infuriated me, Rose annoyed me. So, basically, I spent most of this movie annoyed, infuriated or just flummoxed. I have really enjoyed Eric Bana's other work. Namely Munich, Deliver Us From Evil, Hanna and The Finest Hours. But his role in Secret Scripture felt really unnecessary except the ending. Speaking of which, I suspect that I was supposed to be moved by the ending, but it really fell flat.