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A Secret

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Though the tragedies that befell the Jewish at the hands of the Nazis have been the basis for many a dramatic outing, this adaptation of Philippe Grimbert's true-life tale offers fresh perspective thanks to its cross-generational narrative, cutting back and forth between the 1930s, '50s and '80s – the decade in which we first meet François (Amalric) as he learns that his grief-stricken father has been missing for several hours following the death of his dog. The movie that follows, however, is not what you'd expect following this set-up, with the heart of the story only beginning with the flashbacks to François' childhood this news causes.

From an early age, the physically inept François was aware he was a disappointment to his father, but it's not until his 15th birthday, when friend Louise (Depardieu – yes, Gérard's sister) reveals a family secret about the war-time tragedy that brought his parents together, that he can make sense of this and start his life in earnest.

There is, naturally, a heavy sense of poignancy given the subject matter, although Miller only dwells on the wider picture of the Holocaust on occasion – elsewhere this is a tightly wound relationship drama that finds a resolve in the shadow of war. The leads are uniformly excellent, and though it's difficult to reconcile the final scene with the crux of the story, there is much to recommend this.

Rod Yates