Secrets and Lies, Cert. 15 Directed by Mike Leigh
Don't be fooled by the title. 'Secrets and Lies is the truest of films. The dialogue is so real, it's the kind of thing you overhear at bus stops. If you've ever stared out of the window of a moving train at people's backyards or into their living rooms and spared a few moments to wonder about their lives, then this film is for you.
This is English as she is spoken - including the cliches, the foolish repetitions and the foul language, so this film may not be for you. Maurice (Timothy Spall) is a photographer. He spends his working life framing up shots, getting his clients to smile, to fake it for the camera. Through a sequence of witty 10-second cameos, we see how the camera lies (and watch out for some famous actors).
Meanwhile, Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), following the death of her adoptive mother, sets out on a quest to find her real mother. As the film progresses, the secrets and the lies are exposed. In contrast to Maurice's camera.
