THE SECRETS WE KEEP

US, 2020, 97 minutes, Colour.
Noomi Rapace, Joel Kinnaman, Chris Messina, Amy Siemetz, Scott Jackson Dean Vincent.
Directed by Yuval Adler.

The secrets of this title come from experiences at the end of World War II, German soldiers, drunk, assaulting a group of Gypsy women at the time of the liberation of a camp. However, these are seen in rather shadowy flashbacks throughout the film.

The setting is the late 1950s, the US. We see a typical town of the period, homes, doctors’ offices, shops. There is also a huge industrial plant. So far, so ordinary US.

The audience is introduced to Maja (Noomi Rapace), the wife of the local doctor. They have a son. Her story is that she came from Romania, was liberated from the camp, met her husband, Lewis, a doctor (Chris Messina) and she goes with him to the United States. However, it emerges that she has been very edgy, has been having nightmares, consulting a psychiatrist. The way the film indicates her edginess is through her continued heavy smoking.

One day, she notices a stranger and is suspicious. When she sees him again, she follows him, sees that he works in the factory, is married with three children.

By this time, the audience will realise what is happening. She suspects him of being one of the German soldiers who assaulted her and killed her sister. She is vengeful, wants to confront him, to destroy him – but she also wants to know whether, in the confusion of the assault, she abandoned her sister and ran away.

In many films, this kind of scenario becomes highly dramatic, political. While these elements are here, most of the action takes place in the basement of the house, Maja dragging her husband into what she has done, his bewilderment in not knowing the full story in the past, disapproving of what she has done, but yet compliant.

The main drama of the film is the gradual expose of the secrets – but, more, whether Maja remembers the events properly, whether she has identified the correct assailant, whether she is emotionally and psychologically confused. And, with the holding of the man, who says he is Swiss and worked in an office during the war (Joel Kinnaman), the question is whether he is guilty or whether he is in innocent and a mistaken victim.

As counterbalance to the intensity in the basement and the search for the truth, Maja goes to visit his wife, befriends her, her son happily playing with the daughters, a whole lot of domestic scenes – some genuine warmth between the two women but mile all the time Maja searching for clues as to the truth and identity of her husband.

Dramatically, the truth, about which the audience was uncertain, does emerge with quite some emotional power. However, in the last 15 minutes there is quite another dramatic twist which makes the resolution of the story even more difficult and challenging.

The film was directed by Israeli director, Yuval Adler, who made the 2013 film, Bethlehem, about the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, as well is the espionage 2019 film, The Operative.

1. The title? Maja and her war secrets and experience? Tom and the secrets about his military past and his violence and rape? And the conclusion, Lewis is killing Tom, and the decision to keep everything secret?

2. The late 1950s, the ordinary American town, homes, doctor’s offices, shops, the streets, the industrial centre? The musical score?

3. The focus on Maja, from Europe, not telling Lewis about her past, marrying him and the return to the United States? Patrick his growing up? Maja, her tensions, nightmares, visits to the psychiatrist? Her seeing the man and following him? Following him and finding his house, his wife and children?

4. Maja and her intentions? A scheme for abducting the man, the help with the car, the hammer, in the boot of the car, the grave dug, the spade? The gun? His pleas? And not being able to shoot him? Putting him back in the boot of the car? Going home, tying him up in the basement?

5. Maja and Lewis, their love, the sequences at home, intimacy, their son? Lewis and his work as a doctor? At the industrial centre?

6. Lewis discovering what had happened, his shock? And the reaction to Maja keeping the secrets? Difficulties in coping? Believing Maja? Talking with his doctor friend, the consultation about her nightmares?

7. The man in the basement, tied up, the water, Lewis helping, the toilet? Maja’s reaction? The interrogation, her putting pressure on him, his constant denials? The gun, his knocking over the chair, on the floor, the gun, shooting admire, wounding her forehead? His being overpowered? Maja and her continual insistence on his guilt?

8. The flashbacks, shadowy, the camp, Maja and her sister, the advance of the soldiers, the violence, the guns, the rape? Maja and her continued sense of guilt that she might have abandoned her sister?

9. Audience questions about Maja, her mid-memory, what it actually happened? How sure about the identity of the assailant?

10. The assailant, saying he was Swiss, Lewis checking on his documents, a guarantee that he could not go to the police because of his false documents? The audience wondering whether he was telling the truth?

11. Maja, the cry in the night, the neighbour, calling the police, the bloodstains on the door, the explanations? The wife?

12. Maja, going to visit the wife, becoming friendly, sharing conversations, Patrick playing with the little girl, yet Maja trying to find clues?

13. The wife gradually revealing some of the truth? Maja returning, the confrontation, desperate, the fact that the accusations were true? The grief and regrets – and that Maja did not abandon her sister?

14. What would happen, justice, forgiveness? The shock of Lewis killing the man?

15. The bonding between husband and wife, the secrecy, going to the county fair, pretending that all was well, the wife, children playing?

16. The future and more secrets to keep?