Movie Review: In Secret
First-time director Charlie Stratton's production of the Emile Zola classic In Secret fails to generate a sense of tragedy or emotional involvement.
The talented Elizabeth Olsen struggles to leave her mark on ‘In Secret’. Pictures: Supplied
Set in 1860s Paris, this tragic tale deals with the beautiful Therese Raquin (Elizabeth Olsen), who is trapped in a loveless marriage to her sickly cousin, Camille (Tom Felton), by her domineering aunt, Madame Raquin (Jessica Lange).
Therese spends her days confined behind the counter of a small shop and her evenings watching madame play dominoes with an eclectic group of friends. After meeting her husband’s alluring co-worker, Laurent (Oscar Isaac), she embarks on an illicit affair that has tragic consequences.
This gloomy, laboured adaptation cannot draw even good performances from its talented leads, leaving only veteran Lange to create an impression.
Stratton’s production tells the same story as Madame Bovary or Balzac’s Cousin Bette and seems to serve as yet another example of misery and punishment for young women who bravely try to escape their dreary existences.
