| In Secret | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Charlie Stratton |
| Written by | Charlie Stratton |
| Based on | Thérèse Raquin byÉmile Zola |
| Produced by | Mickey Liddell Pete Shilaimon William Horberg |
| Starring | Elizabeth Olsen Tom Felton Oscar Isaac Jessica Lange |
| Cinematography | Florian Hoffmeister |
| Edited by | Celia Haining Leslie Jones Paul Tothill |
| Music by | Gabriel Yared |
Production companies | Exclusive Media Group LD Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Roadside Attractions |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 107 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1.4 million[2] |
In Secret (also known asThérèse) is a 2013 Americanerotic thrillerromance film written and directed by Charlie Stratton. Based onÉmile Zola'sclassic 1867 novelThérèse Raquin[3] and the 2009 stage play by the same name penned byNeal Bell, the film starsElizabeth Olsen,Tom Felton,Oscar Isaac andJessica Lange. It was screened in the Special Presentation section at the2013 Toronto International Film Festival.[4][5] The film received a regional release on February 21, 2014.
In the lower echelons ofParisian society in the 1860's, Thérèse Raquin is a beautiful, sexually repressed young woman trapped in a loveless marriage to her sickly cousin, Camille, whom she was forced to marry by her domineering aunt, Madame Raquin.
Thérèse spends her days confined behind the counter of a small shop and her evenings watching Madame Raquin play dominoes with an eclectic group of acquaintances. After she meets her husband's alluring friend Laurent LeClaire, the two embark on an illicit affair that leads to tragic consequences.
During an outing on the lake with Laurent and Therese, Camille is beaten to death by Laurent and subsequently drowns. Madame Raquin finds it difficult to come to terms with her son's death and is soon incapacitated by a stroke, but overhears Laurent and Therese speaking about what they did. With great effort, she alerts one of their friends, who informs the authorities.
To escape being assumedly sentenced for the murder, Laurent and Therese choose to take their own lives. They share one final kiss after drinking poison mixed with champagne, and thus they die in front of Madame Raquin by the river.
On May 9, 2012,principal photography began inBelgrade,Serbia andBudapest,Hungary.[7]
In Secret received mixed reviews. On review aggregation websiteRotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 41% approval rating, with an average score of 5.30/10, based on reviews from 87 critics. The consensus states: "Although it benefits from a strong cast,In Secret's stars can't totally compensate for the movie's sodden pacing and overly familiar story."[8]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 47 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[9]
Despite mixed reviews, Lange's performance has received critical acclaim. David Lee Dallas fromSlant Magazine called Lange's character's "latent severity dangerous and surprising."[10] Michael O'Sullivan fromThe Washington Post noted that "Subtlety may not be this film's strong suit, but it certainly is Lange's."[11] Jessica Herdon of theAssociated Press added that Lange "[goes] from agonized to helpless, so poignantly that your heart breaks for her."[12] Odie Henderson praised Lange on her ability to "...[find] the perfect line of lunacy to toe, whichIn Secret requires for her character's arc..."[13] Emma Myers fromFilm Comment described her ability to "[maintain] a looming presence that shifts from despicable to sympathetic and back again."[14]USA Today described her work as her "...most fully dimensional performance."[15]Variety mentioned that Lange "...relishes what becomes the most dramatically potent role."[16] Joshua Rothkopf fromTime Out New York praised the chemistry between Olsen and Isaac.[17]
