by Shane Conto
What would you do if you saw someone in your day-to-day life who had caused you immense pain and suffering?
How would you feel knowing that they live a normal life without any consequences? To what length would you go to remedy that injustice? These are heavy questions to ponder, aren’t they? These are the challenges posed by Bleecker Street’s latest drama in the form of The Secrets We Keep. Set in the quaint and “perfect” suburban America of the post-WWII world. Everyone is friendly and this small town seems to be the perfect place for an immigrant woman to find a new life.
But this portrait-like settling is shattered as the horrors of the past come knocking.
Yuval Adler takes the reins as the director of this period-thriller, tapping into the intensity of his other works. This film is a thriller that captures a classic tone of thrillers of the past. This prestige-film feel is surely a trademark of many films that find their start on Bleecker Street. This quality production company puts their film in the hands of a competent director and Adler proves he can deliver the goods. Intensity…the perfect word to describe the atmosphere captured in this film.
The intensity boils over as this film tightens around its audience at every turn.
Adler not only turns up the heat on the audience, but also puts them in a mystery that slowly pulls you deeper into a horrifying story (in the most human sense). You squirm in your seat asking yourself if you would go this far for revenge. Spot on design and a classic look really captures the attention and imagination of the viewer. If nothing else, many scenes in this film will be hard to watch and are done in a most effective way.
Noomi Rapace shows off her acting chops as she delivers an empathetic and intense performance that shows how talented she really is.
You see a normal woman living her life one moment, and someone whose life had begun to crack under the pressures of her previous abuse the next. This balancing act is quite impressive and, without a committed performance like this, the film would not reach the heights that it does. Chris Messina stands up as well in his supporting role as Rapace’s husband. He must balance the conscience of the film as he questions the drastic acts of his wife as well as being a human being who wants to see retribution for the love of his life. This tightrope act allows plenty of material for Messina to work with and boy…he rises to the occasion. Then there is Joel Kinnaman. First off, why have an American actor play this German man now living in America? Why not get a German actor? This was distracting, as Kinnaman is not the most believable with his accent. Was Kinnaman bad in this film? I would say he is serviceable. That is the trouble though. A performance from a more seasoned actor could have elevated the film.
With all of this being said, how great is this film?
Well, there are aspects of the story that should be really shocking, but it doesn’t always capture that surprise. Is this film going to be for everyone? Probably not. There are dark and intense moments throughout most of the film. But it definitely has a traditional feel to it. Will that grab everyone’s attention? Some might find it a little too proper and set up. That could be a reasonable perspective to have on this. In the end, The Secrets We Keep is a stream-lined thriller that sets up a particular story and definitely delivers. So what if it feels predictable and traditional? I surely don’t mind when we can get such a classy and well-made flick.
Grade: B