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Secret Things
Choses secrètes
2002 115 min France 18+
★6.0
Drama
Director: Jean-Claude Brisseau
Trailers
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Description
Two young women find themselves struggling to survive in Paris, street-wise Nathalie, a stripper, and naïve Sandrine, a barmaid. Together, they discover that sex can be used to their advantage, and pleasure.
US Gross:
$105,090
Worldwide:
$105,090
Starring
Coralie Revel
Actor
Sabrina Seyvecou
Actor
Roger Miremont
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2003
— French Culture Award for French Filmmaker of the Year
Key opinion
Choses secrètes is an polarizing French erotic drama that explores themes of sexual manipulation and power dynamics between genders. While some viewers appreciate its bold, auteur-driven examination of human desire, others criticize the narrative as being disjointed, lacking tension, and ultimately self-indulgent.
| Originality | The film succeeds in crafting a distinct, auteur-driven vision that pushes boundaries in a way that remains rare in mainstream or censored cinema. | |
| Acting | Sabrina Seyvec delivers a strong, convincing performance as the predatory and morally conflicted Natalie. | |
| Pacing | The narrative rhythm is frequently criticized for lacking genuine tension and suffering from a sluggish, unengaging midsection. | |
| Originality | The frequent explicit erotic scenes are polarizing; they are seen by some as essential, provocative manifestations of the film's philosophy, while others find them dated, excessive, or unnecessary to the plot. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the screenplay are divided: some view the hyper-ambitious 'Napoleonic' plot as an intriguing study of power and obsession, while others find the character motivations implausible and the resolution heavy-handed. |