When her adoptive mother dies, a young professional black woman goes looking for her birth mother, and--to her surprise--finds a white working class woman named Cynthia (Brenda Blethyn). So begins director Mike Leigh's Oscar-nominated serio-comic portrait of dysfunctional middle class British life. At first hesitant, Cynthia--who never told her white daughter about her half-sister--agrees to meet with Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), and their budding relationship is pure screen magic. Director Leigh's special gift--of creating real working class people struggling with honest situations and emotions--has never been more evident. A wonderful film about the ties that bind, break and are occasionally repaired. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)
[DVD Review--January 25, 2005--Fox, 142 min., R, $9.98--Making its debut on DVD, 1996's Secrets & Lies is presented in a beautiful anamorphic widescreen transfer and a fine Dolby Digital surround soundtrack, but no extras beyond the original trailer and three unrelated trailers. Bottom line: looking absolutely wonderful on DVD, and bargain-priced to boot, this is highly recommended.]
[Blu-ray/DVD Review—March 17, 2021, Criterion, 142 min., R, DVD: $29.95, Blu-ray:$39.95, Mar. 30—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 1996’s Secrets & Lies is presented with an excellent transfer. Extras include a new conversation with director Mike Leigh and composer Gary Yershon, a new interview with actor Marianne Jean-Baptiste, a 1996 audio interview with Leigh conducted by film critic Michel Ciment, and a leaflet with an essay by film programmer and critic Ashley Clark. Bottom line: Leigh’s powerful drama sparkles on Blu-ray.]