In Secret (C or 2/4 stars)
'In Secret' (directed by newcomer Charles Stratton & based on a book by Emile Zola) is an uneven movie which tells a story of love, lust, madness & destruction set in the dank, gothic back streets of 1860s Paris. Elizabeth Olsen immerses herself in the role of Therese, a young woman who comes to live with her aunt, Madame Raquin (Jessica Lange), as a young girl. She is forced to share a small bed with her sickly cousin, Camille (Tom Felton). When she turns 21, Madame Raquin decides that Therese will marry Camille; basically because neither Therese nor Camille have any other alternatives (social status, monetarily, or otherwise). The three of them relocate from the countryside to Paris so Camille can pursue a rare job opportunity.
One day, he naively brings home a handsome co-worker friend, Laurent (Oscar Isaac), for dinner. Bored & trapped in a sexless marriage in her aunt's small shop, Therese falls for Laurent's seductive manner & bedroom eyes and, in the blink of an eye {part of the problem with the film, everything is rushed} ... the two are embroiled in a torrid love affair. But after spending a few weeks (or months, it's never specified) making love 'in secret', Laurent suggests something that Therese at 1st seems game for: wouldn't their situation be better if Camille, well, you know ... suffered an "accident" or something? And so, murder has its consequences. No one can ever REALLY get away with it; as even killers have a conscience (unless they're psychopaths). The killers here share a conscience that tears away at them until nothing is left. So while we look at these 2 lovers as reprehensible people, we also see the vulnerability, remorse & regret that seeps into their souls.
'In Secret' is, first & foremost, a heavy melodrama with moments of humor, sex & tension. The sex scenes - while not showing much skin - are quite erotic. And as for the tension in the film, the most suspenseful moment occurs right before Therese, Laurent & sickly Camille board a small riverboat. She stands on the dock paralyzed. The camera lingers on her expressive face and, from the way Olsen plays this scene, Therese's dread about what's going to occur becomes palpable. Little does she know that taking that step forward instead of back will set herself on a path of destruction.
Elizabeth Olsen gives a natural, deep portrayal of the inwardly-tortured Therese. I was transfixed by her. Oscar Isaac, SO good in Inside Llewyn Davis, makes you see why Therese falls for his sensual charms. And watching these 2 doomed lovers binge in their adultery, then woefully regret it … is something to see. Tom Felton (Draco from the Harry Potter films) is great as Camille, the ailing cousin who doesn't quite know how to please Therese. And Jessica Lange, well, what can you say? She's brilliant. Now, her actual character may not have amazing depth. And her 'kind' of role requires that she goes a bit over-the-top (especially after she suffers a grief-stricken stroke). But she ACTS so damn well. I was heartbroken for her. And she just knows how to bring it in both large & small moments.
This film is atmospheric, claustrophobic, & sinister. Most of the scenes transpire in dimly-lit interiors. A lot of the outdoor scenes are gloomy. Victorian-era Paris is not magical, but rather dark & grimy. 'In Secret' is definitely has an interesting story to tell. I like what it says about the dark aspects of the human psyche & how it can spiral out of control when out ill thought-out impulses are acted upon. Having said all that, this film has some major issues. The most notable of which I briefly mentioned above ... it rushes through so much of the material. Too many times, plot points would occur without any proper set-up to warrant what the characters were then doing or saying. It felt like scenes were missing everywhere. And this really infringed on my overall macabre enjoyment of the movie.
One day, he naively brings home a handsome co-worker friend, Laurent (Oscar Isaac), for dinner. Bored & trapped in a sexless marriage in her aunt's small shop, Therese falls for Laurent's seductive manner & bedroom eyes and, in the blink of an eye {part of the problem with the film, everything is rushed} ... the two are embroiled in a torrid love affair. But after spending a few weeks (or months, it's never specified) making love 'in secret', Laurent suggests something that Therese at 1st seems game for: wouldn't their situation be better if Camille, well, you know ... suffered an "accident" or something? And so, murder has its consequences. No one can ever REALLY get away with it; as even killers have a conscience (unless they're psychopaths). The killers here share a conscience that tears away at them until nothing is left. So while we look at these 2 lovers as reprehensible people, we also see the vulnerability, remorse & regret that seeps into their souls.
'In Secret' is, first & foremost, a heavy melodrama with moments of humor, sex & tension. The sex scenes - while not showing much skin - are quite erotic. And as for the tension in the film, the most suspenseful moment occurs right before Therese, Laurent & sickly Camille board a small riverboat. She stands on the dock paralyzed. The camera lingers on her expressive face and, from the way Olsen plays this scene, Therese's dread about what's going to occur becomes palpable. Little does she know that taking that step forward instead of back will set herself on a path of destruction.
Elizabeth Olsen gives a natural, deep portrayal of the inwardly-tortured Therese. I was transfixed by her. Oscar Isaac, SO good in Inside Llewyn Davis, makes you see why Therese falls for his sensual charms. And watching these 2 doomed lovers binge in their adultery, then woefully regret it … is something to see. Tom Felton (Draco from the Harry Potter films) is great as Camille, the ailing cousin who doesn't quite know how to please Therese. And Jessica Lange, well, what can you say? She's brilliant. Now, her actual character may not have amazing depth. And her 'kind' of role requires that she goes a bit over-the-top (especially after she suffers a grief-stricken stroke). But she ACTS so damn well. I was heartbroken for her. And she just knows how to bring it in both large & small moments.
This film is atmospheric, claustrophobic, & sinister. Most of the scenes transpire in dimly-lit interiors. A lot of the outdoor scenes are gloomy. Victorian-era Paris is not magical, but rather dark & grimy. 'In Secret' is definitely has an interesting story to tell. I like what it says about the dark aspects of the human psyche & how it can spiral out of control when out ill thought-out impulses are acted upon. Having said all that, this film has some major issues. The most notable of which I briefly mentioned above ... it rushes through so much of the material. Too many times, plot points would occur without any proper set-up to warrant what the characters were then doing or saying. It felt like scenes were missing everywhere. And this really infringed on my overall macabre enjoyment of the movie.