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Secret Laughter of Women (The)
R2 - United Kingdom - Second Sight Review written by and copyright: Neil Bray (18th August 2011). |
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The Film
 While I will admit that romantic films are never high on my list of priorities when deciding what to watch, I have a lot of them in my DVD collection; there are even some that I would list in my top 40 best films. So it is, that when I have the opportunity to watch a romance I sit down with a hefty amount of optimism and an open mind. Unfortunately, that optimism was misplaced with this film. Everything is present for an enjoyable film: the story is set in the South of France, the two leads are good actors, the costumes and scenery add to the atmosphere and some of the dialogue is great (most notably a ‘proverb duel’ between the mothers that is probably the funniest scene in the entire film), but, despite all this, the film somehow falls flat. Nia Long as Landscape Gardener Nimi and Colin Firth as Comic Book Writer Matthew have absolutely no chemistry in their scenes and their budding romance seems unlikely and rushed. I couldn’t understand what Matthew liked about Nimi other than the fact that she’s beautiful and has a son who loves the comic he writes. Likewise, why would a woman like Nimi, who adheres as much as possible to her cultural traditions, enter into an affair with a married man; even if that marriage is considered ‘open’. It’s easy to see why Matthew and his wife Jenny (the wonderful Caroline Goodall) have this arrangement: their marriage seems little more than friends-with-benefits; and even that is on the wane. But, if I were Nimi I’d run a mile from a man who can’t make one marriage work without seeking extra-marital satisfaction. I’m a Colin Firth fan despite that fact that with a few notable exceptions (The King’s Speech, Another Country) he always seems to play himself, but in this film there is less to like as the film goes on. Initially, he is a typical warm, witty, slightly acerbic Brit who is able to live a life of relative leisure; but as the film progresses you see him for the selfish prick he really is – a fact that is not changed by his neck-breaking about-face in the final scenes. Firth’s performance is good, but not great; and in my opinion he didn’t look particularly comfortable in the role. Nia Long, however, was an even bigger disappointment; never seeming to inhabit her character in anything less than the most superficial of ways. Maybe neither actor felt comfortable in their roles which is why their scenes together never seemed to ring true. Most romantic films have a formula of overcoming obstacles to gain true love, and while this film does adhere to that standard the ‘true love’ bit seems to have been lost among the underwhelming performances. The film is described as a romantic comedy, but romantic drama is closer to the truth. Yes, there are some witty lines but this film is not laugh-out-loud funny. I’ve seen much worse romantic films (see anything with Jennifer Aniston in it) but I’ve also seen a hell of a lot better. The worst thing I can possibly say is that there’s nothing here to bring me back for a second viewing.
Video
According to my research this film was originally released in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, so it’s very disappointing that the version here is Pan&Scan 1.33:1. There are a few scenes where the image to the left and right has been noticeably cropped resulting in actors being sliced in half or missing from part of a conversation. This film deserved better than this treatment. However, the picture quality is perfectly fine and of standard DVD quality. Colours are bright – especially on any scene including the African costumes.
Audio
Only one sound option available here: an English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track. A standard track that is perfectly adequate for this type of film. No noticeable faults with the track. No subtitles are included.
Extras
Scene Access only.
Overall
A largely underwhelming film in which the actors never seem to connect. The story is nothing we haven’t seen before. Worth watching for the ‘Proverb Duel’ scene but that’s pretty much it.`
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