Fantastic depiction on the lives of a weird in its own beauty family and the urban customs they're dealing with...oh,and an unexpected surprise on their door.Spall and Blethyn are awe-striking.
I enjoyed this but apparently not to the extent of everyone else it seems. Timothy Spall's role was a fine fine thing to behold - beautiful character that was beautifully played. He plays the younger brother of an older sister who is a nervous lonely single mom with a troublesome 21 year old daughter and he's the husband of a wife with deep seated emotional problems causing issues within their marriage. He works hard at trying to keep this fragile family together while he is busy with his own photography businessl and along comes his sister's daughter she gave up for adoption years before when she was only 16. This was interesting and sentimental, but the movie at nearly 2.5 hrs was too long. Whole scenes (like his old associate photographer friend returning & needing a job) was just not needed or integral to the rest of the movie. The part of his older sister was played by Brenda Blethyn and frankly her whining and crying and "dears" and "sweethearts" were like chalk squealing across the blackboard to me. Perhaps they felt that was the way it needed to be played but I found her unlikable & annoying. The long lost daughter who is black (and they white) I enjoyed as she played that part so calmly and sensitively and completely different I think than how many might have, but the part of the 21 yr old daughter I must say again I simply couldn't stand her and her moping immature ways, especially when there doesn't seem to be any real reason for her to be that way. I have to admit these stars are pretty much all for Timothy Spall's performance. It's well worth the watch. Secrets and Lies is about why NOT to have them & the importance of family.
Mike Leigh does it again. Great, involving story with real emotion, laughs and intensity. The interplay between Blethyn and Jean-Baptiste is a true highlight and well acted. While the 'race' joke is a bit milked, you'll be having so much fun that you don't care. A heartwarming, indepth look into the fragmented lives of an East London family. Funny, sad and fascinating! Don't miss it!
This movie is intensely emotional. It's segmented wonderfully into three parts: introduction to characters lives, events unfolding, resolution. Brace yourself. This movie is hard to watch emotionally, and will leave you in discussion for days afterwards. Excellent depiction of what real life can look like.
It tells the story of Hortense Cumberbatch, a successful black woman who traces her family history and discovers that her mother, Cynthia Rose Purley, is a working class white woman. Cynthia's brother, Maurice Purley, is a photographer who is married to a petty house-proud suburban housewife.
Wow! is all I can say. . 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.
Alternating between high comedy, scathing one-liners (Blethyn telling daughter Rushbrook she has a face like a "slapped arse" is a moment to treasure) and tear-jerking poignancy, with Spall, Rushbrook and Baptiste all offering strong support, this is nothing short of superb. I loved the attention to detail on families. Having only watched Vera Drake before, I can still see how imprtant Leigh pays attention to Families her. You really get the sense of the trouble and tormnt that the family is going through. Hortense has made a name for herself and Cythia his living in poverty- you can see the socail differances clearly there.
Leigh's direction is admirable in its restraint. He recognizes that he has a winning story and he gets performances from his actors, building up to the climax of the film without giving up any tension along the way.
I loved the way the camera was placed in front of them in the restaurant. Not at one point did the camer move away from them. That way you see what is really troubling them and the emotions that they are feeling. Brilliant stuff. I love the layering of the story, the characterizations so unexpected. Such as the child abandoned at birth and put out for adoption being the most centred and focused of everyone. The drunken ex-owner of the business that Maurice bought bringing Maurice to a place of awareness that it could be him wandering around drunkenly, speaking of his past achievements.
The flashes of mini-plots portrayed by the subjects of Maurice's photographic settings. The heart-breaking scene where Maurice's snobby wife reveals her secrets. The slowly developing warmth and comfort between Cynthia and Hortense.
Maurice?s photography clearly had some element of symbolism .He could get appropriate reactions from family members with obviously conflicting agendas and attitudes is representative of his abilities to steer the feelings of family members away from the harmful, hurtful reactions which they all wish to unleash on one another. He captures snapshots of groups as they wish to be captured. However, the mode in which they are photographed usually does not reflect their actual feelings at the time, and indeed may obscure peoples' true feelings about being there, in those circumstances, with those people
Overall a brilliant,brilliant film which I hope everyone sees.
Another great movie by Mike Leigh - in the same vein as Vera Drake. Another slice of gritty common day social history. Cynthiaplayed by the brilliant Brenda Blethyn, lives with her daughter in poverty in East London - working in a faxctory, her daughter a road sweeper. Daily life is a grind. Brother played by Timothy Spall is a successful photographer living with a spiteful and home proud wife - who comes to visit Cynthia from time to time to reminisce about their youth. Manwhile young black successful optometrist sets out to discover her biological mother after the death of her adoptive parents. Amazing acting by Brenda Blethan as Cynthia and Marianne Jean Baptiste as the secret hidden from the family all these years. A must to view.
a british movie about the beginning of a relationship between an adopted woman and her natural mother. some very good acting from brenda blethyn... if not slightly overdone. how many times did she say "sweetheart"?
Brenda Blethyn is fantastic as a mother who begins to start a relationship with the now grown-up daughter she put up for adoption many years ago. Beautiful British film from Mike Leigh with a great heart.
This is the best movie of 1996. Not my favourite, but the best. Fargo will always hold the title of my favourite movie from 1996. This movie was a masterpiece. It was made by Mike Leigh, one of the greatest dramatic directors of today. This film is so incredible in many ways. The story is ingenious; after her parents die, a young black woman (Jean-Baptiste) seeks out her natural birth mother only to discover her mother is white. Equally shocked to learn her daughter is black, Cynthia (Blethyn) insists it's a mistake. But she soon realizes it's true and when she springs her newfound daughter on the rest of the family, the resulting chaos leads to a series of secrets and lies being revealed at last. A true Best Picture contender if I ever saw one. I wish this would have won Best Picture because movies like these need more appreciation, I think. Brenda Blethyn gives one of the best performances in years. It's too bad for her she was competing against the amazing Frances McDormand that year. Marianne Jean-Baptiste is also incredible. They both garnered Oscar nominations in 1996. This isn't a movie to be missed... if you haven't seen this, add it to your "too see" list and watch it as soon as possible. A true masterpiece.
Real, gutsy,touching and funny. If you wanna see a movie that says something worthwhile and is about real people - none of your hollywood plastic, false smiles and bullshit 'have a nice day' routine - then watch this.Made me laugh and made me cry. Loved it :)
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