Official Secrets movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Official Secrets NOW ON DVD!

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour, 52 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B+

IN A NUTSHELL:

This political thriller flew under the radar for most Americans when it was in the theaters and so now it’s getting a second chance on DVD and streaming. Based on a true story and the book The Spy Who Tried to Stop a War: Katharine Gun and the Secret Plot to Sanction the Iraq Invasion this film seems particularly timely right now. It’s about a British whistle-blower who leaked information in order to prevent a government action she felt was wrong. Clips from real TV footage lend a realistic air to the story. If you believe that there never were any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in 2003, then this movie will confirm your suspicions. If you think going to war with Iraq was the right thing to do, then you’ll be quite frustrated watching this.

Most people outside of England have probably never heard of this story, so the British headlines you never saw won’t be a spoiler for you. You’ll learn about the Official Secrets Act in the U.K., as well as think about some serious questions, such as when is it right to reveal secrets, how much is the government hiding from us, what is the role of the media, or at what point do you stand up to tyrannical governments that point the world in jeopardy?

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be extremely bored
Some profanity and only enough F-bombs to make earn the movie a R rating. Otherwise, it could have easily been rated PG-13.
You see a couple in bed under the covers
Some Chinese is spoken with subtitles
Some writing on the screen

THEMES:

Truth
Wrong vs. right
Courage
Power
Integrity
Consequences

THINGS I LIKED:

I was already interested in the movie when I sat that Keira Knightley and Matt Smith were in it, so I was pleasantly surprised when Ralph Fiennes appeared on the screen!
Considering it’s a true story and people will already know the outcome, it’s impressively suspenseful.
Beautiful English countryside

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

There are a lot of hushed conversations that make it hard to hear what’s being said.
This is very dialogue heavy.
Not everyone will be interested in a movie about past politics.
Many of the actors will be unfamiliar to American audiences.
All of the characters were pretty calm under pressure; however, Rhys Ifans’ character is over-the-top in many scenes.

INTERESTING LINES:

* “You work for the government.” – Detective TinTin

“No. Governments change. I work for the British people.” – Katharine Gun (Keira Knightley)

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