Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Secrets & Lies Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 12, 2015

Mike Leigh's "Secrets & Lies" (1996) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Channel 4 DVD/Film 4. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; short video segment with the British director; and the TV short "A Sense of History" (1992). In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Maurice and Monica

Some people just have it rough. They do everything they are supposed to do to succeed in life, but never get that big break that would push them out of the gutter. A few of them spend their entire lives hoping that things will get better, but the rest eventually get tired and frustrated and give up.

Middle-aged single mother Cynthia (Brenda Blethyn, Little Voice) is on the verge of giving up. Her life has been a total disaster and recently she has realized that her best years are behind her. Her boring job at the local factory has helped her raise her temperamental daughter, Roxy (Claire Rushbrook, Under the Skin), whose twenty-first birthday is just around the corner, but she hasn’t been able to save for retirement.

Cynthia’s brother, Maurice (Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner), has done better. He is a successful photographer with plenty of regular clients and a solid reputation in the local community. He is also happily married to Monica (Phyllis Logan, Another Time, Another Place), who genuinely loves him but has grown tired of his sister. For years Maurice and Monica have been trying to become parents, but now both are on the verge of giving up.

Single optometrist Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste, The Cell) has lost both of her adoptive parents, but recently she has discovered that her biological mother is still alive. Now she wants to meet her, but is unsure how to approach her. In fact, she is unsure if she truly is her mother -- Hortense is black while the person listed on her birth certificate is apparently white.

On a bright and sunny day, Hortense phones Cynthia and after a few awkward exchanges the two women arrange to meet. The meeting overwhelms both and they agree that it would be best if they continue living their lives as they have in the past. Then days later, Cynthia phones Hortense and invites her to come to the family party Maurice is throwing for Roxy’s birthday. Hortense will be introduced as Cynthia’s good old friend from the factory.

Mike Leigh’s Secrets & Lies is like a big juicy apple with an uneven skin and more than a few brown spots. At times it could be deliciously sweet, but it has a genuinely bitter side as well. Indeed, it is a strikingly authentic film about real working class people with the type of problems anyone can relate to.

The energy and intensity on display remind of John Cassavetes’ work. Leigh’s camera is essentially a casual observer that follows Cynthia, Maurice, Monica, Roxy, and Hortense with an unrestrained curiosity that makes different parts of the film look like extracts from an unedited documentary feature. The dialog is appropriately raw as well.

The film’s biggest strength, however, is its ability to enter British reality without producing any polarizing political statements. (Despite the fact that race and poverty are key elements of the narrative, they are never directly addressed). There is a good reason why this is done. For many that are stuck in it the big picture simply isn’t that important because they are too busy surviving.

Blethyn won Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival, but in this film the entire cast is magnificent. Spall, in particular, is exceptional as the diplomatic brother and husband who routinely makes important compromises. Jean-Baptiste is wonderful as the curious but reasonable optometrist.

Secrets & Lies Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Channel 4 DVD/Film 4.

The high-definition transfer has been struck from a brand new master -- with MK2's logo on it -- and unsurprisingly the film looks very fresh, vibrant, and healthy. Close-ups boast outstanding depth and clarity, even when natural light is somewhat subdued, while the wider panoramic shots impress with wonderful fluidity (see screencaptures #3 and 5). Contrast levels remain stable. Grain is very well resolved and evenly distributed throughout the entire film. There are no traces of post-production sharpening of degraining adjustments. Colors are stable, very healthy and beautifully balanced. Overall image stability is outstanding -- there are absolutely no transition issues or annoying edge flicker. Finally, excluding a few very light compression artifacts, the encoding is also very good. All in all, it is clear that the film has been remastered very well and the technical presentation is near flawless. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free Blu-ray player in order to access its content).

Secrets & Lies Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles have been provided for the main feature.

The film does not have an aggressive soundtrack and therefore dynamic intensity is somewhat limited. This being said, there is a good range of nuanced dynamics and separation is excellent. The dialog is expertly balanced as well. In other words, the lossless track handles the film's organic sound design exceptionally well. Finally, there are no pops, audio dropouts, or distortions to report in this review.

Secrets & Lies Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for Secrets & Lies. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Mike Leigh on Secrets & Lies - in this short segment, director Mike Leigh quickly addresses some of the key themes and conflicts in Secrets & Lies. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).

• A Sense of History - this very funny short film was directed by Mike Leigh in 1992. Jim Broadbent (Le Week-End) plays the 23rd Earl of Leete, who recalls some key events from his unusually dramatic life. In English, not subtitled. (26 min).

Secrets & Lies Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies is a bittersweet comedy about real working class people with the type of problems anyone can relate to. It was completed nearly twenty years ago, but it still feels fresh and relevant today. Channel 4 DVD/Film 4 have released the film on Blu-ray in the United Kingdom and I have to say that it looks magnificent in high-definition. Hopefully, Criterion will soon bring the film to these shores with a nice selection of supplemental features. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.