secrets and lies...

Secrets and Lies (1996)




I was first exposed to the brilliant filmmaking of Mike Leigh through Secrets and Lies. In 2003, by acting obsession was born and I scrambled like mad in search of brilliant performances on film. In that pursuit, I landed on Brenda Blethyn in this movie. The film centers on a young, black woman (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) who seeks out her birth mother and discovers she is white (Blethyn). The story follows their budding relationship and the effect that has on them and the people in their lives.

Seeing a Mike Leigh movie for the first time is an intense and overwhelming and thrilling experience. I still vividly remember the range of emotions I went through while watching - laughter, sadness, depression, pity, etc. Every single actor is perfection in their roles, but Blethyn is definitely the stand out. Her utter commitment to this character despite her being a bit grating and unattractive is a beautiful thing to watch. Because all characters in Mike Leigh films are literally made from nothing between actor and director, they feel like real people with backstory, flaws, dreams, memories, etc. And that's what his movies are really about: people. In fact, if you read the synopsis for some of his films they may not sound that fascinating, but the characters are about as rich and multidimensional as you'll ever see. And they stay with you long after the credits roll because you wonder what they're going to do next. You grow to care about them because of their authentic depiction.

Another aspect of Leigh's films that are so marvelous is his respect for female actors of all ages and allowing them to show what they're fully capable of. Some of the best female performances of the last 20 years are within his movies: Blethyn here, Alison Steadman in Life Is Sweet, Lesley Manville in Another Year, Imelda Staunton in Vera Drake, Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky. These are true actors who have the deepest respect for their craft and Leigh gives them full reign to shine.

His movies are not always easy to watch - the emotions on display can be overwhelming, but the experience is thrilling. It's almost like watching a live theatrical presentations because of the immediacy and, again, rawness of the performance and focus on character. If you have yet to venture into Mike Leigh land, I suggest you do.

Another quick note, this movie contains a key scene between Blethyn and Jean-Baptiste that's shot in one take and it will knock your socks off...I'll leave you to seek it out.