His Secret Life (2002)

A Pleasant Surprise

I was pleasantly surprised that this film turned out to be much more multi-layered than the way it was marketed. A woman loses her husband in a car accident. She soon discovers her husband had a lover. She is more shocked to find that the lover was a man. At first angry and resentful, Antonia soon replaces her husband in his circle of friends. In so doing, she discovers he had a completely separate life which had nothing to do with hers. His friends know more about him than she did. The only person who doesn't welcome her with open arms, however, is her husband's lover, who feels as if she is trying to replace her husband with his group of quirky friends.

There is a sense of competition and jealousy between the two people who loved the dead man most. The jealousy and resentment only increases when Antonia is accepted into the fold of her husband's friends. The characters of the friends are fascinating. Many of them are Turkish immigrants, some are straight, some are gay, and one marvelous character is trans-gender. One of the young Turkish men even falls for the older Antonia. The end is a bit too tidy and stretches the limits of how to end a film in a tidy manner. Still, the characterizations are wonderful and the acting is very strong, and I enjoyed this movie very much. February 26, 2008

Most Excellent Movie!

I am not one to watch many movies with subtitles, but this movie is well worth watching! I rented it several times before I decided to purchase it. A purchase I wont ever regret! This movie really draws you in to all of the characters, which are very loveable. It is very tasteful and heart-warming. I cannot say enough good things about this movie! Buy it, you WONT be sorry!! October 30, 2007

Tender and affectionate

Ferzan Ozpetek has delivered a wonderful film of love and curiosity regarding one woman's sudden loss and discovery of a life in which her late husband took part. Led by Margherita Buy and her co-star, Stefano Accorsi, Ozpetek has assembled a cast of gay and transsexual characters that are as funny and warm as the Italian day is long. This is Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" transported a continent away.

As Antonia (Buy) and Michele (Accorsi) meet there is understandable tension. Massimo, Antonia's late husband, had a secret seven-year affair with Michele and the two survivors seem headed toward protecting their own turf. Yet, as the film continues, they are drawn to each other with the need to fill in the holes in each of their lives. Ozpetek does a wonderful job at bringing the film to a poignant close.

"His Secret Life" is full of outward emotion but the tenderness achieved strikes a nice balance. I highly recommend it. July 27, 2007

you never know

you think you know the one you love till you find they had a secrest life it is one of the most beutiful movies i have seen July 8, 2007

A Secret Delight No Longer

A beautifully wrought story of love and acceptance across many of the lines that divide society. I felt uplifted by the warm hearted nature of this film which simultaneously completely avoids sappy sentimentality. The film is full of surprises and it builds to the final scene so subtly that I have now watched it four times, each time seeing more of what the director layered into the film that brought me to the scene on the terrace. This is well worth purchasing and it also shows the growth of the director over his earlier efforts. January 10, 2007

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