Genres

Visitors Review

stefan-t 2012-05-23 00:18:54

This film just screened as part of Brisbane International Film festival (Australia). I was truly devastated.

I understand the commentary about the revelation of pain but the mostsignificant 'lesson' for me was the insidious horror of war - in a filmwithout bloodshed - and obviously the lingering effects of man'sinhumanity to man. The slow reveal of the characters' backgrounds creptup on me and to my surprise left me absolutely gutted at the film'sconclusion -and for some time after. I was left with a feeling ofemotional and physical grief that i have not felt since my father died- the uncontrollable tide of internal pain. While a completelydifferent genre, it reminded me of Sophie's Choice but in comparisonmade Streep's horror look like a walk in the park. Polley is amazing.What human's do to each other is tragic beyond description. And yet, wecontinue to torture our fellow humans and apparently fail to learn fromour mistakes.

efewebber 2012-05-22 08:35:06

Secret's Poetry

I went to see this last Isabel Coixet's movie three hours ago and itsbeautiful and powerful story is still bouncing in my head... the sea,Tim Robbin's eyes, Hanna's beautiful voice and her intense way ofholding her feelings, Simon's delightful food in the middle ofnowhere..The way it is conceived is somehow simple, a mysterious woman, in myopinion extremely well resolved by Sarah Polley, happens to arrive to aremote place where a bunch of loners have just had a deep dramaticexperience. As explicitly mentioned in the movie, 'God makes them..'('Dios los cria'.., in Spanish), and so as she gets there she expandsand relaxes in this environment where no one really expects anythingfrom anybody.The takes are so beautiful, the thousand different feelings that thesame isolated landscape in the middle of the sea projects through themovie is unbeatable. The cast of characters is solid, and thesupporting characters are developed enough so as to allow the viewer tounderstand, in basic terms, what brought them there. Finally, the use of Tom Waits for the final transition is sublime! but,yeah, how could it not be? Tom Waits's music is the music for thesefilms where the very deep of the heart is at stake. So, yes, I do recommend this movie for anyone who cares or wants tocare or would like to be able to care about people who have beenprofoundly wounded at some point. And this, I am afraid, hopefullyincludes you. Thanks Isabel.

Claudio Carvalho 2012-05-20 04:01:45

Touching and Heartbreaking

In Ireland, the introspective deaf worker Hanna (Sarah Polley) isforced to take vacations by her boss after four years service in afactory. She travels, but when she overhears a phone conversation in arestaurant, she offers to nurse a burned worker with fractures andtemporarily blind in a decommissioned oil rig. Joseph (Tim Robbins)seriously wounded after risking his life to rescue a colleague thatcommitted suicide jumping in a fire and need to stay for a while in theplatform to stabilize his health condition. Hanna is a lonely woman,with the paranoid behavior of eating white rice, chicken nuggets andapple everyday and never repeating the soap, and she slowly interactswith the few workers first, opening her heart to Joseph later anddisclosing her traumatic experience in her old country."The Secret Life of Words" is a touching and heartbreaking romance,with an awesome screenplay and wonderful performances of Sarah Polleyand Tim Robbins. The dramatic story develops perfectly the charactersand in spite of the happy-end, it is never corny. The sensitivedirection of Isabel Coixet, from the stunning "My Life Without Me" withthe same Sarah Polley, is top-notch again. The process ofre-socialization of Hanna, who was dead inside and reborn after meetingJoseph, is intense. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "A Vida Secreta das Palavras" ("The Secret Life ofWords")

2012-05-19 14:52:55

Slow and gripping...

Who knew slow pacing, little action and long silences could make such a powerful movie. It was never boring, every haunting clip of a lonely rig in the North Sea shapes the dialogue that you spend so long waiting for. And then the quick turn of scenes and sudden answers at the end of the movie is absolutely satisfying and makes it all so worth it. This movie traumatizes you a little bit, there's so much heartache, but still so much inspirational strength in both of the flawed and struggling lead characters. And a beautiful romance that breathes optimism and happiness into the ending. Absolutely fabulous, one of a kind movie. You don't come across these often.

gradyharp 2012-05-19 06:05:50

Silence as a Protection for Facing Past Horrors

It is always a joy to find a DVD in the videostore that is completelyan unknown entity, only to discover upon viewing it that it is a littlemasterpiece of cinematic art. Such is the case with THE SECRET LIFE OFWORDS, and having seen the film now raises the question of how it wentunnoticed in the theater release. Though touted on the cover as an'Almodóvar film', in reality it's connection to the genius lies in thefact that both Pedro and his brother Agustín Almodóvar were executiveproducers: the film was written and directed by Spanish artist IsabelCoixet (Paris, je t'aime, Invisibles, My Life Without Me). It is aminimalist statement about the indomitable human spirit, a story thatslowly unwinds to reveal some of the most terrifying aspects of traumaof war and guilt and shame ever written.Hanna (Sarah Polley, in a phenomenal performance) is a deaf, silentreclusive young woman working as a line operator in a factory, somarried to her meaningless job that her boss insists she take avacation she deserves. Hanna does as she's told, and journeys to aseaside spot where she hears about a man on an oil rig in the middle ofthe ocean who is severely burned and needs a nurse. Hanna quietly takesthe job, is flown by the doctor (Steven Mackintosh) to the isolated oilrig, populated with only a few men - cook Simon (Javier Cámara of'Hable con ella', 'La Mala educación, 'Lucía y el sexo' etc),oceanographer and workers (Eddie Marsan, Daniel Mays, Dean LennoxKelly, Danny Cunningham, Emmanuel Idowu) and a captain (StevenMackintosh), and meets her patient Josef (Tim Robbins) who istemporarily blinded from burns to his corneas, and severely burned onhis limbs.Josef seeks to discover information from Hanna, but Hanna sharesnothing about herself, spending her time dressing Josef's wounds,feeding him and tending to his needs. He slowly reveals his painfulpast to her (he was burned in an accident in which his best friend wasburned to death, the friend whose wife had become Josef's lover!).Hanna is treated well by the few men on the isolated rig and learns toeat the exotic foods prepared by Simon, becoming friends with the crew,though at a distance, and gradually Hanna speaks with Josef aboutherself. In a painful confessional Hanna reveals that she is Bosnianand a survivor of the Balkan war, a hideous time when she and her closefriend were captured, tortured and raped, leaving Hanna with physicalas well as psychic scars and an enormous feeling of shame that herfriend died and she survived. This knowledge bonds Hanna and Josef, butby this point it is time for Josef to be medevaced to a hospitalonshore and the two part company. After some time has passed and Josefhas recovered, he begins his search for Hanna and the journey and itsfinale serve as a touching end to the story.The cast is uniformly brilliant, including a small role of Hanna'stherapist played convincingly by Julie Christie. The metaphors the taleoffers are many, but the most moving is an examination of how the humanmind deals with survival and shame after trauma. Director Isabel Coixetdraws such subtle performances from the entire cast in this very smallfilm, proving she is one of the more important artists in film makingtoday. Very Highly Recommended. Grady Harp

eat_the_children 2012-05-18 10:01:30

Secret Life of Disorder

This movie was terrible. Blatant cliché's ran rampant throughout theentire film. Total lack of direction and forward motion other than theobvious fact of Tim Robbins' character improving in health. Then thesound track jumping from song to song and ruining what little mood itmight have had with a Tom Waits song. Absolute garbage. The actorscarried what little substance the film might have contained and Icommend them for that. But the line in the end says it all: "I'll learnto swim, Hanna." Are you kidding me?! How can a film have any redeemingquality after a cheeseball line like that? The 'thank you's at the endof the film only went to exaggerate the director's pathetic attempt ata run-of-the-mill "art" film.

2012-05-14 14:53:33

Beautiful movie

This was, by far, the most memorable movie of my year. I was able to see it at a theater in Barcelona while I was visiting over Christmas and I haven't been able to shake it out of my mind since. It is beautifully written and sensationally acted. It's a bit slow-moving so I woudln't recommend if you're up for a fast-paced thriller type of movie, but if you're looking for something about human interaction and love, this is the movie for you! Beautiful, I promise.

D A 2012-05-14 01:29:24

Cracking the Waves

Gently compassionate work describes the unusual relationship between ahearing impaired, anti-social nurse and the burn victim she takes careof on a desolate oil rig. It is a slow character piece which takes alittle while to settle into any sort of admirable rhythm, though by theend older viewers should be thankful they were patient. To call thescript underdeveloped would be a little unfair; there are plenty ofdetails thrown in to keep a mild level of interest, but not until thefinal act does the film really offer anything of substance.Until then we still have the strangely involving lead performance ofSarah Polley, painfully alluring in a way few stateside actresses canmanage, commanding attention in a difficult role. Her foreign accentmay sound generic, but she more then makes up for any dialectshortcomings with a brooding, subtle characterization which serves tokeep viewers interested in learning what she is really all about.Polley still has not received the attention she deserves, and TheSecret Life of Words only continues to prove her loyalty lies in hercraft and not to her popularity or finances. She stars opposite TimRobbins who plays the burn victim she begins to treat. Robbins, who hasbeen on the decline as of late, does a decent job here. His mainrequirement is to lay in bed and wince from pain, so it is achievedfairly easy; the majority of emotional content falls on Polley'sminimalist nuances.Until a late-act explanation is provided to justify Polley's extremebehavior, the movie is a difficult one to gauge. It often feels thatuntil that point the filmmaker relies on protracted ambiguity to fillout a running time. The oil rig location is appropriate andoccasionally shot in an impressive way but for the most part is notreally taken advantage of. Rightfully so, the intimate focus upon thesetwo principal characters dominates Isabel Coixet's work, but it willonly be late into the film that you will realize why. A slow,underwhelming relationship movie that redeems itself with a powerfulfinish.

2012-05-13 00:40:01

Compelling Claustrophobic Drama

This review is from: The Secret Life of Words (DVD) "Sarah Polley gives a wonderfully searching performance, as a woman in a state of extreme isolation, in "The Secret Life of Words," a compellingly claustrophobic drama set mostly aboard an oil rig. This film tackles its big theme -- silence as a defense against tragedy -- with delicacy, sympathy and originality, sans sentimentality." Jonathan HollandThis film grabbed me and cut to my core. Immediately this young woman played by Sarah Polley spoke to me. This is an actress who can display with a flick of her hair and a non expression that something has gone terribly wrong and will never be right again. Hanna as she is known, is deaf, she lives alone, she works in a factory and has not had a sick day or a day off in 4 years. We know she eats white rice, chicken nuggets and half an apple for every meal. She has a collection of almond scented soap in her bathroom, and she uses a new bar everytime she washes her hands. This is all we know. She is summoned to her supervisor's office and told she must take a 4 week vacation. Her non-speech and work ethic gives her fellow workers a case of nerves, she must at least act human.Hanna goes to the coast of Northern Ireland and while eating dinner one evening she overhears a conversation that changes her life. An oil rig has had a fire, and there is a great need for a nurse to care for a burned man. She volunteers for the duty and is flown by helicopter to the oil rig.Hanna meets her patient, Josef, played by Tim Robbins. He has corneal burns and cannot see, leg fractures and burns on his body and face, but he remains intelligent and self-deprecating. He obtained his burns by trying to save someone else. The fact is that what Hanna and Josef don't say is sometime's more significant than what they do say. Hanna maintains her stalwart composure and does not give anything away. Little by little their relationship develops and Hanna begins to open her heart and secrets, as does Josef. On one day, Hanna discloses her shattering past. Josef gathers her in his arms, and this scene is more exqisite than words can express.The rest of the small crew on the rig are loners as is Hanna. They all have their stories and the chef is the most telling. Hanna discovers that food should be tasted and enjoyed. A scene with Hanna, sitting on the stairs, devouring the rest of Josef's meal will live on. There is a sharing of respect, and Hanna has a family of sorts.The trauma of both of these characters is lessened by their meeting. Hanna helps Josef heal and Josef helps Hanna with her emotional recovery. Josef has bones that mend and Hanna has a life opened to the world. The time comes when Josef needs more expert care, and they are both helicoptered off the rig to the city. "Hanna, Hanna,' we hear Josef yell as he is lifted into the ambulance. "Hanna,Hanna".The soundtrack to the film is exquisite. From Clem Snide to David Byrne to Tom Waits and to Paolo Conte. Each song has its place and link the narrative as needed. It is a sound track to be played over and over again."Instead of being a visionary film that shows us how people behave when they have been tremendously damaged, this becomes an explanatory film that tells us that its characters have been damaged, and need love to heal them. This may or may not be true, but it's definitely a truism, and it dissolves at least some of the picture's potency and mystery into cliché." Emily TaylorWe often hear without words, and we understand through facial changes what someone is thinking. This film is the ultimate in communication without words, and when words are spoken, each of them evokes a distinct memory.Highly Recommended. prisrob 05-24-08The Sweet Hereafter (New Line Platinum Series)The Shawshank Redemption (Two-Disc Special Edition)

pluginboy 2012-05-12 21:39:53

I left the cinema after half the movie

It's not a *funny* or entertaining movie, but maybe you already knowthis when you go and see it. What you probably ignore is that, themovie is annoying, disturbing, boring and overall lazy slow andmeaningless. Not a single character is well defined or described. Everydetail is given for free. The "important" things (how two maincharacters meet one another) all happen by chance. The director triesto make an aesthetic movie, and fails. Since she can't give thecharacters any emotion, she use obvious tricks like slowly moving thecamera toward an actor to explain that "it means something". There'sonly one minimally interesting character, which is the cook, thatsometimes makes you laugh. The dialogues are the worst thing at all.They come from nothing.Really, I'm into independent cinema, I went to see this movie as soonas it came out. I have nothing against Coixet or the actors, but thismovie is really unbearable. It doesn't even make you cry, or feelfrightened.. it brings no emotions at all.

djjustinomalley 2012-05-06 08:50:28

This one is sure to leave you with a smiling but heavy heart...

Even though each character is surrounded by a shroud of mystery,somehow through these strange unfortunate events we are given thechance to know them better than anyone will. Forced to take holidayafter years without taking a break, Hanna (played by Sara Polley) givesup her vacation to take care of a man severely burned on an oil rig.Honestly the plot comes second to the exploration into these amazinglycomplex characters. Every character has such a story to tell yetthroughout most of the film we are only given small glimpses of whothey really are. However, Hanna's guard is eventually let down and shereveals a shocking secret from her past that gives light to her being.Sara Polley has her most shining moments in cinema to date... Untilthis film, to me she was always that chick from 'Go'. Now she hascrossed the line into a fine actress. Tim Robbins also does a greatjob, though I have come to expect just that from him. The supportingcast does not disappoint either and gives applaud-able performances allaround.This is probably one of the most endearing and enthralling films wherenot much happens, however, because of the slow manner in which eachcharacter is revealed and miraculously developed I found myselfdemanding to know more during every second of each scene. 'The SecretLife Of Words' is a must see by those that favor strong characterdevelopment and don't mind a slow moving film as long as its rewardingin the end.

indieke 2012-05-05 16:23:13

Not so bad, not so good!

This movie is particular. It has great actors, the idea is good, butthere are flaws.That the movie is a bit slow did not bother me, except that I wasalready tired this evening. The problem is that although a theme withgreat dramatic impact, is treated a bit too simplistic.All the impact is about 2 things that take too much time to develop. Idid not saw it in the theater so, I could see the last scene again.There is no doubt about the ending. Her trauma is obvious, as the girlmentioned in the movie was not her friends, but her own.It is about that life has to go own after terrible things you did, orhad to do. Flaws it has, but it is a movie that makes you think, aboutall what can happen in a persons life, and how to cope with it.

marallu82 2012-05-03 21:44:08

It so sad it's boring and dull

Firts i wanna point out that i liked the films of this director andthat was the reason i wanted to see SLOW, My life without was so simpleand beautiful and believable that it can't be done a better film withless material, a sick young mother and her family, and it worksperfect. I also recommend Things i never told you is about love and inthe same way is lovely and beautiful, and the characters are normalpeople in normal situations that are happening right now around theworld. But SLOW( yes, secret life of words is very slow) is just apretentious independent film like many others, is the result ofCoixet's looking herself too much time into the mirror. The charactersare non consistent, OK she was tortured and raped, that was clear fromthe beginning, there was no need of that unbelievable confession to herpatient. Javier camera, a high talented actor, is reduced to a mereclown. Tim Robbins is also a clown but a less dark one and moreinterested in her. The crew are all rejects with no more characterdevelopment. And she is just a traumatized girl OK, but do we reallyneed a two hour long film to point out that? There's no a single sceneto remember everything is so affected, please Isabel don't lookyourself in the mirror anymore. The problem is that she has been highlyawarded for this film, so i think there won't be any films like the twomentioned before.

Sindre Kaspersen 2012-05-03 11:56:33

Whispering words of substantial meaning

As Jane Campion, Susanne Bier, Lynne Ramsay and Sally Potter, Spanishdirector Isabel Coixet who caught my attention with "My Life WithoutMe" (2003) has a subtle, lyrical and ravishingly beautiful way ofdepicting human relations and emotions, which shines through in thisheartfelt and universally appealing story about Hanna, a lonely factoryworker in Northern Ireland who after being instructed to take a holidayby her boss returns to her lonely life at the coast where she realizesthat a holiday is the last thing she wants and ends up taking a job asa nurse at an oil rig.Isabel Coixet's fifth feature film is mostly set on a distant oil rigfocusing on Hanna's evolving relationship with her patient Josef andher meeting with seven men who share her need for solitude and privacy.The role of Hanna is portrayed by Sarah Polley, an actress with a greatgift for interpreting internal and low-keyed characters with greatconviction, "The Sweet Herafter" (1997) being one of them, and here shepractically conveys the soul of the film through her intuitive andquiet though expressive performance, which transcends in the scenewhere she confides to her patient, gracefully played by Tim Robbins."The Secret Life of Words" is well-paced study of character withfragments of poetry that has lively visuals, mood-setting music, manycolorful characters and is observantly written and gently filmed byIsabel Coixet. It is a memorable movie experience which through it'sdepiction of people who turn to their loneliness in order to regaintheir security succeeds to affirm new perspectives on life.

2012-05-03 10:08:24

Remove the first review here

it ruins the movie..it tells how it ends and everything!! geez

marc4ucb-1 2012-05-03 00:56:06

Sophie's Choice meets the English Patient w/ Hollywood ending

Sophie's Choice meets the English Patient w/ a Hollywood endingThe acting and dialog in this movie are first rate. But is there a"there there"? Hanna is the emotionally damaged survivor of Waratrocity. She avoids any emotional and social life working only forsurvival in a Scottish factory. When her employer forces her to take avacation she is forced to think about more than survival. At the lastsecond she tries to avoid leisure time and the possibility ofintrospection and resurfacing emotion by volunteering to nurse forbadly burned oil rig worker, Josef (Tim Robbins). Isolated on the OilRig with a skeleton crew she is touched by the guilt ridden andemotionally extroverted Josef. In return she confesses her own horrors.Having exposed herself she escapes from this impromptu group therapyand returns to her previous work life. Josef tracks her down with thehelp of Hanna's psychiatrist, Inge (Julie Christie). Julie Christie isexcellent in this cameo role. Inga violates the most basic ethics ofher profession to help Josef find Hanna. Hanna attempts to reject Josefbecause she is afraid her emotional problems will overwhelm them both.Based only on Josef's assertion that he will learn to deal with heremotional problems she relents, embrace, kiss fade out. I love the waythis film is made. I love the acting. I love the dialog. In the end theresolution does not hold up. It isn't that the plot is improbable, itis simply that there is no explanation of how the events lead to theresolution.

nicoloved 2012-04-28 07:05:30

Outstanding! Isabel has done it again!

What a remarkable film! "The Secret Life of Words" grows on you littleby little, at a steady and constant relaxed pace, throwing at youintriguing images and sounds from the very beginning that will get youhooked wondering until the very end.Isabel has done it again, an emotional "rollercoaster" that gets to youin a devastating way. We needed this movie!This movie could have been called "The Forgotten". Why we prejudicepeople we don't know simply because they behave differently, in ways wedo not understand? How come we pretend to understand certain thingsthat we cannot even imagine to be happening in the world? The story of Hannah is the story of the millions that have beenforgotten, but that walk with us every day.Subtle and brilliant. Fine and devastating.My admiration to Isabel for her bravery and talent. A terrific nextfilm after "My Life Without Me". The cast is wonderful! Sarah Polley and Tim Robbins are absolutelyfantastic. What a performance! Julie Christie is great too (she suregot the great lines!). Thank you, thank you all.Entertaining in a meaningful way. Absolutely recommendable!All the best to your film Isabel!!Nico

Ulfy 2012-04-27 18:58:01

A 9.5, but I'll give it a 10 anyway

I gave this movie a rare 10. It stroke the right chords for me. Theacting is wonderful of both the main characters' parts, as well as theprogression with which they get closer to each other. It did not feelhasty either.It makes you think the gentle way with which she treated Josef wouldmake it hard for anybody NOT to fall in love with her.A love story of a different kind for me, I found was beautifully put onscreen. The only hiccup would be that the ending left me wanting to seea bit more. I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling this way.The movie is also a reminder about the genocide indeed many peopleforgot about.Highly recommended nonetheless. One heck of a good love story.

2012-04-26 05:46:40

An Amazing Film you soon will not forget...

First off, I won't go into a brief synopsis of this film. For that, see the other reviews of this fine film.What I will remark upon is the fact that this film is one of those rare pieces of work that will slowly draw you in and cause you to feel deeply for these finely written characters.If you are looking for a "movie" that goes 100 miles per hour with recklessly futile car chases, mindless profanity and nudity -- then this "Film" is not for you.If you are looking to be truly drawn into a fine story with wonderful acting so profound that you find yourself being haunted well after the final credits have rolled -- then this film is for you ! A Must see !

2012-04-25 12:42:41

Intriguing and absorbing, truly memorable thanks in large part to a truly orgasmic performance...

`The Secret Life of Words' was one of those films that just slipped in under the radar so-to-speak. I had head a lot about it and then it all but disappeared before I noticed it on the shelf at my local video store and remembered all that I had heard. I immediately grabbed the movie and I can honestly say it was well worth it. The film is a quiet film yet it speaks volumes with its emotional depth. This is of course aided strongly by the brilliant performances by the cast, especially Tim Robbins. Robbins is slowly but surely becoming one of my favorite working actors, and I know that may sound odd since he's been acting for some time now, but recently his brilliance has really come through. His performance here is no exception.`The Secret Life of Words' follows a young woman named Hanna who is obviously stilted by events in her past that cause her to be distant from others, to be reclusive. She even admits to being somewhat prejudice and gives off the air of someone almost bothered by the people around her, thus opting to turn down her hearing aids so as not to have to listen to them talk. It's because of this persona that she's all but forced to take a vacation by her boss who doesn't want to fire her but has to confront her about the impression she leaves on her workmates. Instead of choosing a pretty place to vacate she ends up choosing to work. She overhears the need for a nurse and she takes the job. Hanna then finds herself on an oil rig off the coast of Northern Ireland taking care of Josef, a man burned badly in a fire aboard the rig. Josef is left temporarily blind yet he still is as conversational as could be. He's persistent with Hanna, trying to get her to open up and slowly the two begin to unveil just who they really are.The film on its own is very well done, but it's really Tim Robbins who catapults this into a must see feature. His performance is so naturally inviting, so absorbing that I'm tempted to say it could be a career best for him. I love Polley, lord knows that. Her supporting performance in `The Sweet Hereafter' is one of my favorite supporting performances ever, but here I feel she's a bit miscast. She does fine, don't get me wrong, and she truly uncovers all that is Hanna. It's just that accent that I couldn't get past. I really didn't feel it was real from her. I know she must have worked hard for it, but it came off a bit too forced for me, not natural. She played her characters emotions fantastically, but she was quickly overshadowed by Robbins.In the end, `The Secret Life of Words' is a film I'd recommend readily. It delivers on just about every front and contains one of the best performances of the past decade in my opinion. One reviewer used the word poetic when describing this film and I must agree. Writer/Director Isabel Coixet has a lot of potential and I see greatness in her future. I've yet to see `My Life Without Me', also starring Sarah Polley, but if it's anything like this film then I'll be sure to find it and watch it very soon.