If a film fan had never heard of director Mike Leigh, one might explain him as a British Woody Allen. Not that Leigh's films are whimsical or neurotic; they are tough-love examinations of British life--funny, outlandish and biting. His films share a real immediacy with Allen's work: they feel as if they are happening now. Leigh works with actors--real actors--on ideas and language. There is no script at the start (and sometimes not at the end). Secrets and Lies involves Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), an elegant black woman wanting to learn her birth mother's identity.... She will find it's Cynthia (Brenda Blethyn), who is one of the saddest creatures we've seen in film. She's also one of the most real and, ultimately, one of the most loveable. Timothy Spall is Cynthia's brother, a giant man full of love who is being slowly defeated by his fastidious wife (Phyllis Logan). There is a great exuberance of life in Secrets & Lies, winner of the Palme D'Or and best actress (Blethyn) at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival--not Zorba-type life but the little battles fought and won every day. Leigh's honest interpretation of daily life is usually found only on the stage. Secrets & Lies is more realistic than a stage production, however, especially when Leigh shows us uninterrupted scenes. Critic David Denby states that Leigh has "made an Ingmar Bergman film without an instant of heaviness or pretension." If that sounds like your cup of tea, see Secrets & Lies. --Doug Thomas [show more]
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Please note this is a region B Blu-ray and will require a region B or region free Blu-ray player in order to play This hilarious bittersweet comedy from director Mike Leigh (Mr Turner) is an unmissable and moving slice of real life Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is a young black optometrist whose adoptive parents have recently died Cynthia (Brenda Blethyn) is a sad unmarried mother who works in a factory and lives in a shabby terraced house with her confrontational daughter Roxanne (Claire Rushbrook) Cynthia&39;s brother Maurice (Timothy Spall) is a successful photographer who lives comfortably in suburbia with his wife Monica (Phyllis Logan) In a misplaced effort to re-unite the family Maurice and Monica throw a small barbecue party for Roxanne&39;s 21st birthday When Cynthia brings along her new friend Hortense chaos ensues and some painful truths are revealed
Comedy drama written and directed by Mike Leigh. Hortense Cumberbatch (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is a young, black Londoner who, after the death of her adoptive parents, is surprised to discover that her birth mother is in fact white, single mum Cynthia (Brenda Blethyn). After an uncomfortable first meeting, Cynthia strikes up a rapport with Hortense and invites her to the 21st birthday party of her youngest daughter Roxanne (Claire Rushbrook) where she meets Cynthia's brother Maurice (Timothy Spall) and his wife Monica (Phyllis Logan). Mike Leigh's bittersweet comedy was nominated for five Oscars.
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