Introduction"The Secrets We Keep" is a 2020 post-World War II revenge thriller directed by Yuval Adler. The film's top-billing stars are Noomi Rapace and Joel Kinnaman. Rapace represents a Romanian woman named Maja living a peaceful, serene life in an American suburban area with her American spouse Lewis (played by Chris Messina) and their young child. Nevertheless, her harrowing past as a Holocaust survivor pertains to haunt her when she identifies a guy she thinks dedicated wartime atrocities against her.
Plot OverviewThe film unfolds as Maja recollects a terrible event from her past, where she and her sis were raped by German Nazi soldiers during World War II. When she sees a man in her town who she thinks to be one of her assailants, she kidnaps him to exact her vengeance. She convinces her at first disbelieving hubby of her captor's identity who then becomes her accomplice, triggering tension and ethical questions between them.
The guy they've kidnapped, Thomas (Joel Kinnaman), asserts his innocence throughout, declaring confusion and that he is merely a Swiss man called Karl. This accusation thrusts the audience into an exhilarating moral conundrum, questioning if Maja is overwhelmed by her distressing past, enacting a twisted type of vengeance on an innocent man, or if Thomas is indeed her real lawbreaker escaping justice.
Main CharactersRapace provides an effective performance as Maja, the tormented lead character caught between playing the functions of a rural partner and mother and a victim looking for vengeance. Messina efficiently portrays Lewis, the loving other half fumbling with doubts about his better half's sanity and the morality of their actions. Kinnaman delivers an engaging efficiency as Thomas, the believed war criminal advocating his life.
Conclusion and Final ThoughtsThe movie concludes with Maja launching Thomas after he sings a tune in German that just the German soldier from her past would know, confirming his identity. Nevertheless, Thomas subdues Maja and tries to get away, and she eliminates him in self-defense. Lewis returns house, covertly buries Thomas's body, and tidies up. The next day the police arrive looking for Thomas, however find nothing suspicious, and life returns to relative normalcy for Maja and Lewis.
"The Secrets We Keep" elegantly showcases the haunting power of terrible memories and the battle of moving on from a blood-soaked history. It checks out the morality of vengeance and the steps one would go to attain it. Yet, the narrative may be a little too simple bearing the weight of its sensitive styles. The efficiencies are solid, especially Rapace, who beautifully gives life to the differing feelings of an injury survivor.
Top Cast
