Wonderful character development!

What makes it different from others?

This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Whatever the reason, once you enter into a 'secret' affair you've really broken the relationship, and from all the signs this woman is evidencing, contrary to her declarations of 'love,' she truly wants out of the stifling situation with her husband and child. Proclaiming to 'love' him, but then deliberately and cruelly humiliating him time and again, paints her in a very despicable manner. She says it's necessary for her to choose herself or him, and like all adulterers, she selfishly chooses 'me.' It would be nice to see the sequel, if she were to reach the much needed psychiatrist's couch, and if it could help save her, for she is now doomed for a breakdown with the 'path' she has presently chosen. It's completely delusional, no one would survive for long the current choices she is making. It's a troubling storyline (with an ending that is confusing and senseless), and the acting overall is good. A lot rests on her shoulders, and outside of a misstep or two, she does fairly good work. It would have been nice with more explanation as to why, and a bit more dialogue, but that was not the creators intention. It definitely benefits from additional viewing.

Le secret is not only an emotional exploration of relationships, both marital and extramarital, but also provides a stark reflection on one woman's search for a life of perfection and fulfilment. This focus and move away from the traditional marriage narrative is what renders Le Secret different from other films of its genre. Coesens plays Marie, a confused mother who turns to American Bill for what to the spectator seems to be mainly for adventurous sex. Le Secret's narrative holds back much of the emotional drive resulting in Marie's affair and without Coesen's subtle yet telling acting the viewer would be lost in her intense personal struggle. To an extent, the ambiguous nature of Marie's emotions towards her husband and lover give the viewer a certain freedom to interpret her relationships for themselves. Even the end of the film, in which Marie and Francois seem to reunite carries an ambiguity and uncertainty with it. The often reserved nature of the script and acting provides a welcome change and challenge in a genre which is often overly predictable and simplified. Much of the dialogue between Marie and her lovers is refreshingly realistic in its uncertainty and honesty.

"Le Secret" is a fairly mediocre French film which focuses on a woman's attempt to find some existentialist truth, or some such crap, through the exploration of rather graphic sex. In that sense it is a little like Brellait's "Romance" but it seems to lack that film's intensity of design. So for the most part it seems distanced and closed. There is an expectation of the conclusion which is not met and the film is to some extent redeemed by this (unexpected?) ending but what has come before makes the film as a whole unbearable. Also, the acting and writing is pretty average.

Marie, trim bordering on skeletal, is married to only slightly dull François, who wants a 2nd child, (Marie doesn't but doesn't know why) (the 2 year old son comes up with some of the best acting in the film - how do they get them to do it?).In the course of her work as an encyclopaedia sales person (echoes of Paper Moon) Marie meets Bill, a big black American who lives alone in a villa and seemingly never goes out.She is simultaneously intrigued and put off by his large direct presence. Gradually the intrigue wins and she overtly seduces him (echoes of Belle du Jour). Mind blowing, graphic, complicated and frequent sex ensues.It seems as though what Marie is getting from the relationship is more important to her than her husband (desolate), child (confused and weepy) or invalid mother (disapproving, though at least seems to show a flicker of understanding when Marie explains the attraction of sex with Bill being that Bill "invades" her).The story fairly bowls along and Ann Coesens (Marie) is riveting throughout. The best acting in the course of sex I have ever seen.The sex is not at all pornographic, actually - although pretty graphic, it serves to explore Marie's motivation rather than titillate.Bill is something of a cypher: the figure of Temptation. Marie is given much more space to develop than any of the other characters - but Cousens' performance fills the screen.Recommended.