Secrets & Lies (1996)

The critic calls it hilarious and as touching a film as any Leigh has made, returning to bittersweet suburban comedy. He singles out the superb dialogue, running gags, and strong ensemble performances for praise.

Leigh's familial dramedy excels in scenes that shift from fever pitch to meditative calm, centering on cathartic breakthroughs and class differences. The reunion between mother and daughter stands out for its raw, volcanic emotion and bittersweet healing.

The critic finds the film spellbinding for its extraordinary emotional riches derived from deep focus on one family's everyday experiences. Everyone's superb, with Blethyn and Spall singled out in particular.

The film disarms viewers accustomed to simplistic characters with its honest portrayal of family life and adoption. Leigh's slow pacing and strong ensemble cast deliver an authentic, stylistically minimal drama that highlights good filmmaking.

The critic finds it a wonderful, beautifully constructed sentimental melodrama that marks a shift for Leigh towards positive emotion and humanist themes. He singles out Brenda Blethyn's fiercely funny performance for praise.

The critic praises the film's tender and wrenching revelations and Brenda Blethyn's heart-rending performance as Cynthia. It singles out the emotional immediacy and the way the story captures inner light through its characters.

The review calls it a finely observed, deeply felt work that returns to a less dark style but on a more ambitious canvas. It notes some pacing and structure issues that may affect commercial prospects.