The Secrets

The Secrets is the recipient of one of the highest compliments I can give a film. That compliment being that I didn’t take good notes for this review. The film and its story drew me in so much I forgot to do so. This might mean this review is not too good but let me assure you, the movie itself very much is.

The film’s lead is Noemi. Noemi’s father is a rabbi and as such, she is well-versed in religion. Noemi has a fiance named but dreads the prospect of marriage. As a way to delay this, Noemi tells her father she wants to study religion. So off she goes to a seminary. At the seminary, she rooms with three girls; the chubby Sheine, the increasingly devout Sigi and Michelle. Noemi initially doesn’t get along with Michelle. However, Noemi and Michelle are teamed up to bring food and support to Anouk. Anouk was jailed for the murder of her lover in France. Now, she is terminally ill and wishes forgiveness before she dies. Noemi and Michelle partner up to bring absolution and comfort to the dying Anouk, despite the wishes of the seminary. Along the way, they fall in love but struggle due to religious and societal pressures.

As much as The Secrets has a lesbian romance subplot, this is a much more complex movie than two girls go to seminary school and fall in love. The focus of the film isn’t really the romance and the romance itself is a slow-build. It’s a by-product of the very close relationship Noemi and Michelle form while assisting Anouk and exploring their own feelings towards religion. I adored that romance was present but only a subplot of the film. Had it been the focus, I think the story and its character would have had less depth. Instead, The Secrets is full of complex characters and situations and a love story that feels natural and all the more romantic for its slow build.

One of the main complex themes The Secrets deals with is religion. I expected The Secrets to be a pretty clear-cut condemnation of religion. It isn’t. While it shows that culture in Israel and its roots in devout religion can be oppressive, the movie also shows how faith can be a thing of joy, love and comfort. For Noemi, her faith is a place she feels safe. Her interpretation of texts has a constant focus on love which is how she treats Anouk. Yet we do also see characters use faith as a method of control and judgment such as Noemi’s fiancé and the local Rabbi. There’s nuance here I didn’t expect. Most movies aren’t talented enough to depict religion both positively and negatively the way The Secrets does. The Secrets depicts religion not as good or bad but as a tool used either way.

It’s absolutely devastating that The Secrets was made when gay couples weren’t allowed happy endings in film. Nobody dies, but this movie was made in 2006 so it would be too radical for a queer couple to get a happy ending. Instead, Michelle ends up marrying a man for safety and the possibility of family. The fact that her husband is a genuinely nice man somehow makes it worse. Seeing Noemi so excited to show Michelle the home she’s made for them and Michelle saying she can’t do this broke me. Worse still is Michelle’s wedding day. I kept hoping maybe Michelle will run away or that she’ll dramatically stop the wedding. Of course, this didn’t happen. That’s a thing for American romantic comedies and has no place in Israeli dramas. Instead, Michelle marries, Noemi tries to be happy for her and my heart broke into a million pieces.

The Secrets is a complex and emotional film. It is one of the best WLW films I’ve seen. Great writing and great performances make this an engaging, exceptional film.

Overall rating: 9.2/10

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