I stumbled across this film one night when I was looking for something different. Right from the start I found it compelling.
The story revolves around Miranda, who quickly jumps into a fling with the charming and confident Brendan (masterfully played by David Tennant). Ten days later, when Brendan is letting himself into her apartment and digging through her diary, Miranda decides to end the relationship. Little does she know how far Brendan will go to get revenge. As he dates and then becomes engaged to her sister, Brendan quickly turns from creepy, to manipulative, to deadly.
The movie was very enjoyable. It is exciting and suspenseful, not in a disgusting horror way, but certainly a way that leaves your muscles sore from tensing up. Brendan is clearly a master manipulator and his actions move slowly from malicious to cruel to dangerous.
It was a very enjoyable film but it would have been forgettable if not for the ending. Most people talk about the surprise. It appears that Miranda is murdered by Brendan but it is all an elaborate set up to send Brendan to jail. But his is not what I found so compelling.
The part that left me pondering late into the night was the number of assumptions I made throughout the film. As you see Brendan's true colors it is easy to imagine him as a mugger, a boy who killed his parents, a manipulator who caused the death of a teen, a thief, an abuser and a man who killed his wife.
In the trial scene I remember hissing at the TV "GUILTY! Come on GUILTY!" I was surprised when it showed he was innocent but I was shocked when I realized that all his previous actions that led me to believe he was a killer were completely unproven. We have no proof that he manipulated Troy, no proof that he killed his parents, and no proof that he actually got married just to get back at Miranda and Carrie. I still can't decide if I think he killed Lara or screwed over his business partner. It was shocking to realize that with every unchallenged assumption, my judgment grew until I was crying at the TV to condemn an innocent man.
Overall Secret Smile was a great film. The acting was very well done, the story was excellent and the filmmakers should be congratulated for being almost as manipulative as Brendan.
The story revolves around Miranda, who quickly jumps into a fling with the charming and confident Brendan (masterfully played by David Tennant). Ten days later, when Brendan is letting himself into her apartment and digging through her diary, Miranda decides to end the relationship. Little does she know how far Brendan will go to get revenge. As he dates and then becomes engaged to her sister, Brendan quickly turns from creepy, to manipulative, to deadly.
The movie was very enjoyable. It is exciting and suspenseful, not in a disgusting horror way, but certainly a way that leaves your muscles sore from tensing up. Brendan is clearly a master manipulator and his actions move slowly from malicious to cruel to dangerous.
It was a very enjoyable film but it would have been forgettable if not for the ending. Most people talk about the surprise. It appears that Miranda is murdered by Brendan but it is all an elaborate set up to send Brendan to jail. But his is not what I found so compelling.
The part that left me pondering late into the night was the number of assumptions I made throughout the film. As you see Brendan's true colors it is easy to imagine him as a mugger, a boy who killed his parents, a manipulator who caused the death of a teen, a thief, an abuser and a man who killed his wife.
In the trial scene I remember hissing at the TV "GUILTY! Come on GUILTY!" I was surprised when it showed he was innocent but I was shocked when I realized that all his previous actions that led me to believe he was a killer were completely unproven. We have no proof that he manipulated Troy, no proof that he killed his parents, and no proof that he actually got married just to get back at Miranda and Carrie. I still can't decide if I think he killed Lara or screwed over his business partner. It was shocking to realize that with every unchallenged assumption, my judgment grew until I was crying at the TV to condemn an innocent man.
Overall Secret Smile was a great film. The acting was very well done, the story was excellent and the filmmakers should be congratulated for being almost as manipulative as Brendan.