Movie #839 "The Secret Life of Words" --- I had heard about this movie for a long time, so I was glad when my sister-in-law suggested we watch the disc I bought from a closing out Blockbuster for $1. What could we lose? Well, we really were touched by the film. But disclaimer: This is really s-l-o-w going. For more than 1/2 the film, Hanna says very little to anyone --- in fact, it gets a bit too long for me, but then she takes a turn and starts to trust the very damaged Josef (played well by Tim Robbins) and the film starts to take off. I was intrigued this was done by a female director, and that she is Spanish, but the main character is supposed to be Yugoslavian and the boat they are on is in Ireland.........a little confusing where it takes place and what war they are talking about (might be Balkan War or then might be Croatian one), just like the film, you have to hunt for answers (in fact, we discussed who the child narrator was for quite a length of time) --- and catch it in the words --- and sometimes you won't even hear the words, but you can surmise from what isn't said. I've seen movies about damaged people finding happiness together, but this one has some very powerful storytelling, and it is one I won't forget very easily. Atrocities of war like these stick with us forever, as well they should. We need to tell these stories ----- the irony, as Julie Christie's character in this film points out, is that survivors often tell their stories on tape, for history, but because they are ashamed they have survived, their accounts are stored away because they are thought to be too horrendous for us to listen to again. So movies like this one need to be seen so we are reminded of what some people have gone through during these horrific wars.
The Secret Life of Words2005NR112 minutes 4 stars out of 5
After surviving the war in Yugoslavia, taciturn nurse Hanna heads to Ireland for some relaxation. But when she hears about an oil-rig accident off the coast, she agrees to tend to a heroic burn victim, who changes her life.
- Cast:
- Sarah Polley, Tim Robbins, Javier Cámara, Julie Christie, Eddie Marsan, Steven Mackintosh, Leonor Watling,Daniel Mays, Dean Lennox Kelly, Danny Cunningham
- Genre:
- Romantic Dramas, Indie Dramas, Drama
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