User reviews

Way better than it's current 5.8 rating. It's an intriguing story and Noomi and Joel play the leads really well.

Don't be deterred by the bad reviews would be my advice.

In "Death and the Maiden," the viewer is kept in suspense for a longer time about whose side to take, despite a very similar script. Unfortunately, "The Secrets We Keep" falls short in comparison with inferior writing and emotional engagement. While Noomi's performance is admirable, Sigourney Weaver's acting prowess is incomparable. In terms of acting, directing, and writing, "Death and the Maiden" is superior in all aspects. Therefore, it would be best to skip "The Secrets We Keep" and opt for "Death and the Maiden" instead.

This is an enjoyable thriller. Fairly original storyline and good performances from the three leads who take around 80% of the screen time. Slow paced, and it has to be for the story to unfold, some unpleasant scenes, which again are needed. I would have marked the film 8 if not for the very predictable last scene before the epilogue, still a good thriller though.

N.B I haven't seen 'Death And The Maiden' which comparisons are made in other reviews so my review is unbiased and about this film.

Having watched THE SECRETS WE KEEP, almost inmediatly I googled film critics opinion about this movie hoping to not be the only viewer surprised by the obvious plot similarities between the movie in question and DEATH AND THE MAIDEN. I didnt have to search much, several film critics allude directly to both movies blatant parallelisms. Here´s a direct quote from THE WRAP´S film critic Alonso Duralde;

¨The worst sin of "The Secrets We Keep" is not that it so blatantly and flagrantly rips off Ariel Dorfman's play and subsequent movie "Death and the Maiden" - although if the Chilean author wanted to sue for a credit, he's certainly got a case.

The history of art is the history of creators borrowing from each other, whether they call it homage or reference or appropriation. What grates about director Yuval Adler and his co-writer Ryan Covington pilfering so obviously from Dorfman's work is that they haven't done anything particularly interesting with it.¨

I wont comment about the quality of the technical aspects of THE SECRET WE KEEP, I´d like to focus on the plot, recently we had a simmilar case between Guiilermo Del Toro´s THE SHAPE OF WATER and LET ME HEAR YOU WHISPER by Paul Zindel.

David Zindel, son of playwright Paul Zindel, brought copyright infringement claims against the creators of the film The Shape of Water, the winner of the 2018 Academy Award for Best Picture, alleging that The Shape of Water infringed the copyright to his father's 1969 play Let Me Hear You Whisper.

The district court granted defendants' motion to dismiss on the grounds that the parties' works are not substantially similar as matter of law, upon application of the Ninth Circuit's "extrinsic test" for determining substantial similarity.

The Ninth Circuit reversed, holding that the district court erred in dismissing the case at the pleading stage because "reasonable minds could differ on whether there is substantial similarity between Let Me Hear You Whisper and The Shape of Water," such that additional evidence, including expert testimony, could "aid in the objective literary analysis needed to determine the extent and qualitative importance of the similarities" between the two works and "whether any similarities are mere unprotectable literary tropes or scènes à faire."

If you as a screenwriter or director are inspired so much by a previous work of art that you have the intent to make your own personal version of such work, why not buy the rights or mention ´inspired by´ in the credits of your film, is it so hard? especially when you have the backing of powerful Hollywood studios like Fox Searchlight Pictures in the case of Del Toro´s film, or AGC Studios, Di Bonaventura Pictures, Echo Lake Entertainment in the case of Adler and Covington´s movie in question. Its not only common courtesy but a show of respect for the writers and filmmakers that came before and inspired you.

Dorfman the playwright of Death and The Maiden is almost 80 years old, Polanski is bordering 90, I dont believe that they have the time or energy to pursue a lenghtly and costly court case, one would hope that the young Israeli authors of a film that aspires to tell a story about universal justice would have been more sincere to such commitment.

I apologize for my horrible english. Good evening. And watch DEATH AND THE MAIDEN if you havent already, Its not only a marvelous film, but a true original.

Lots of twits on here recommending Death of the Maiden, as an alternative to this, which is quite frankly ridiculous. Since when does an idea have to be completely original or uncharted to be given a screen rendition.

This film is pretty damn good, its an intriguing thriller filled with suspense good acting, direction, a great cast and a lead who is totally immersed in the role. I mean the story is good if a little slow and lacking in those high tension events that really bring suspense to the fore, but Rapace really carries this one with an outstanding performance.

I loved it, and even though I only gave it a 7/10 I still think its one I could watch a couple more times.

I do think there were some lost opportunities for events to escalate or for incidents to really take on a little more action, but I'm probably nit picking.

Really enjoyed it. Watch it

...and period dramas set in the 50's, I recommend it. If you don't expect too much and just enjoy it for what it is...nothing special but I still enjoyed it even though I have seen better films like it. A decent 6 stars but 7 for the actress.

Regardless of its similarities to any other movie (which I have not seen) if you review this on its own merits it's a good enjoyable thriller with decent acting by all mains, holds your attention throughout.

Worth a watch

This is one of those binary movies - and by that I mean one of two things are possible. In other words, guessing what is true or where the movie will end up is not really a big achievement! Sorry to burst your bubble if you thought that was the case.

Having said that, for a movie like this to work, you need really good actors. Someone to believe in - someone to root for and/or a bit against. It is morally quite hard on the viewer ... who is right, what would you do, if it was the case? And also is it necessary to hear something, to believe an overall story to be true? And how true can a confession under duress be? Maybe it is the only way to find out the truth ... maybe it is the opposite ... and as I said, no brownie points for guessing right.

Joel Kinnaman is quite the powerhouse acting wise and Noomi relishes in roles that really drain her out (emotional power wise that is) - going to extremes and almost living through things ... at least you'd be fooled as viewer to think she actually is the character she plays ... for better or worse. The ending is either satisfying or a bit ... well something you may feel different about. Still overall the tension is kept throughout and therefor kudos for that.

I really enjoyed this film. It is very well acted and directed. The cast is great. Noomi Rapace's performance is absolutely phenomenal. The story is both interesting and engaging. Keeps you wondering and thinking about the effects of the war. A lot of people who weren't affected moved on with their lives but those who were, couldn't just forget and leave the past behind (even after trying their best).

I think the rating here is too low. This movie is really good, especially if you like the genre. Don't expect it to be a fast paced action thriller. It's a mixture of drama and mystery. It's very emotional because it deals with tough issues like trauma, loss and secrets but it's also mysterious. Keeps you wondering who is right and who is wrong, who is the victim and who is the bad guy. I think those who didn't like, expected it to be more of a thriller or just wanted it to be something "new" that they've never seen before (some compared it to to the movie Death and the Maiden but I can't comment on that since I've never seen it). I'm not one who's always looking for the next big thing, the surprising twist or the most unique storyline. I'm more than happy to watch any well made movie. This is definitely one. It's a well made, interesting, powerful movie that makes you think about it after you're done watching it.

My only complaint is that (no spoilers) I think the final scene between the three main characters was a bit too short. I think if it was longer and contained more details it could have been even more powerful but other than that it's a great movie and I would definitely recommend watching it.

Solid performances all around, a very emotional movie, which builds up nicely from the very beginning :)

The only thing i disliked about it, is neighbors can hear someone screaming "HELP", but they can't hear someone unloading a 6-shooter?! That was a huge fail for me, but everything else was solid!

7 / 10*

Highly recommend.

Oof what a polished turd this movie was. And really the only thing that seemed polished about it is it's 50's setting which only lends a veneer proficiency.

In post-World War II America, a Romanian woman, Maja, living in the suburbs with her husband, kidnaps her neighbor and seeks vengeance for the heinous war crimes she believes he committed against her. She recounts a night during the war when she and her gypsy family were assaulted by a group of German soldiers, one of whom she believes is her captured neighbor, Thomas. Her husband, Lewis, is torn by his Maja's claims especially as the more he looks into Thomas's past the more innocent he appears.

So we have a female lead who holds a man captive for the remainder of the film for supposed wrongs he's done. So this is basically a post-WWII version of Hard Candy and many of the problems I had with that movie are present here as well. The biggest being that there is no significant power shift throughout the film. She has this man subdued at the 20 minute mark and he remains captured for the entire film. Why do movies keep thinking you can make feature-length film from a captors point of view? Aside from being without any real threat, it's only possible if you needlessly drag the movie out. This movie accomplishes that by constantly cutting from them holding this man hostage to them going about there daily lives. It's honestly laughable every time it shifts to them getting in bed, talking to neighbors, or doing household chores, as if they don't currently have a man tied up in their basement. Also like Hard Candy, we're treated to a scene where the female lead is having to hide her captive from prying eyes and I'm once again kind of hoping she'll get caught. A lot of that is because I'm never given much of a reason to believe Maja's assertion. Blindly kidnapping a man she claims to recognize from 15 years prior is crazy enough but Thomas keeps providing evidence that appears to clear him of these accusations. So why should I side with Maja?

I at one point I wondered whether this film was planning a subversion of expectations. I mean, here's this man who we have no reason to believe is guilty, that this woman is detaining claiming him to be the holder of all her ill-will. It started to remind me of Hitler's own assertion to his party that the Jewish people were to blame for their problems because they'd taken what was rightfully theirs. I thought that maybe in the film's final moments Maja would come to the horrible realization that she's become the very thing she feared and now she's continuing the cycle of hatred.

Instead the climax suffers from a bad case of "Because the Script Said So" Syndrome in a clumsy way to make movie's events look worthwhile but it REALLY doesn't work. This is further highlighted by the fact that the movie's climax happens in the same set up we were at 20 minutes into the running time. The movie's events should not have been dragged out this much and the writers clearly didn't know how to lengthen it. The dozens of times she prepares to kill him and then stops just had me screaming at the screen "Either kill him or let him go but stop dragging it out!"

I can't even recall much else filmmaking-wise. The horrible plotting is enough to overshadow any competent performances, camera work, or score. It's a dower, unpleasant trudge. A better title would have been The Film We Keep Secret. Seriously, bury it.

This is an engaging drama. The story is captivating and very touching. I think it's pretty good.

Hard to believe some the harsh ratings for this. This film has some very concepts that provoke discussion and thought. After watching the movie, my wife and I enjoyed talking about the possible options/actions the main protagonist could have taken besides the impulsive ones she took. Realistic dialogue and situations. Perhaps the content was a bit too serious for today's dopey audience.

It is not a remake of Death and the Maiden nor is it flagrant plagiarism. Let's call it "inspired by" the Polanski film, with an added spoonful of Holocaust sauce. The locations and the era in which the film is set (1959) are a good backdrop to some excellent acting by Noomi Rapace.

Decent drama which was not dragged out

Noomi Rapace always has a presence when on screen.

3 out of 5 stars.

The Secrets We Keep is a fair thriller film about Maja (Noomi Rapace) who comes across someone familiar Thomas (Joel Kinnaman) who from the past. Her and her sister were with other girls who escapes a nazis camp. While apparently Thomas and his men caught them and did horrible things to her and other girls. In the present, Maja captures Thomas and has him held up in her basement. While trying to convince her husband Lewis (Chris Messina) that he is who she says he is. While they try to get him to confess.

A decent plot. Great performances by Noomi Rapace and Chris Messina. And Joel Kinnaman all did good. It does put you on the edge of your seat as Maja and Lewis have a few close calls when neighbors question screaming at night when Thomas almost escaped them. Or when Maja talks with Thomas wife about his perspective of the life story.

The direction is a slow pace though. Where it can be boring with the exposition of Maja telling herself she is sure she knows he is the guy from her past.

It was decent thriller that delivers on performances and keep you on the edge but decent story and direction.

Is my first thought, and the way this story is told are less than average good, its a zombie like production over the ghosts from the past. the plotspeend goes from turtlish to rabbit speed and there are large plotholes, there are too many questionable and incoherent transitions, and as a result of bad directing the actors are never given a chance to surprise or flourish.i felt that the whole line of cast seemed utterly uninspired in their acting, and if this was in a upper middleclass neighbourhood in the late 50's, the general view on life in usa were a lot brighter than this film illustrates.

so noomi rapace does not impress here and neither will the general audience, except those who will have or needs the revenge to be able to breath. i the grumpy old man have my c-pap to survive the mess of day/-and night mares, so i will survive to tell its not much, just a very small recommend

Maja (Noomi Rapace) and Lewis (Chris Messina) are a small town couple with a young son. It's some 15 years after WWII. She had kept much of her war experiences in Romania a secret from her husband. One day, she sees a fearsome figure from her past. She kidnaps the man (Joel Kinnaman). He claims to be Swiss immigrant Thomas married to an American girl. She sees him as Karl who was one of the German soldiers who raped her and murdered her sister.

This type of story has been done before, most notably Death and the Maiden. This falls a little short by comparison. The acting is not at that level. The story has a few blemishes. First, they would strip him to check for any tattoos or markings. I like the ring idea but it's a little awkwardly scripted. There are ways to heighten the tension even more. This is good but nowhere near what it could be.

Rapace plays a happily married mother in post WWII America who one day thinks she sees one of the men (Kinnamen) who committed atrocities against her, her sister and other women towards the end of the war. She decides to act against him by kidnapping him and holding and torturing him in her cellar. But is he the man?

Well put together and acted by the three principals, this is though hugely reminiscent of 'Death and the Maiden' and it's just a case of did he or didn't he do it and how are the couple going to deal with him whatever the outcome. This element of the unknown, that mystery and doubt about his guilt / identity, is the key to any thrill here and is not perhaps played quite as well as it might have been. Instead there are scenes of both captors making local enquiries at the expense of sharp to and fro dialogue with the kidnapped man. It unfortunately becomes pretty clear well before the end how this will play out resulting in a solid enough but average thriller.

Despite some of the reviews I have read here and regardless of plot similarities to other scripts- the fact remains that in this film the main character is Roma, (gypsy). There are very few films that acknowledge us, and most Americans don't even know our history or our plight. If you watch this film with an open mind, the acting is excellent, as is the cinematography and directing. The story is moderately paced- a slow burn and the plot resolves itself well. The plot is not entirely original- but in Hollywood- what is? There are countless films about the brutality of the Nazis, but this film centers on my people- and for that I appreciate it.

This premise has been done before so many times and way better. This movie was just incredibly draggy and on top of it just not very entertaining. Sure there were some scenes of violence but it just diddn't do anything for me. Avoid at all costs.