The Secret Life of Words

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Cast & Crew

Sarah Polley
Hanna

Tim Robbins
Josef

Javier Cámara
Simon

Sverre Anker Ousdal
Dimitri

Julie Christie
Inge

Daniel Mays
Martin

Dean Lennox Kelly
Liam

Danny Cunningham
Scott

Emmanuel Idowu
Abdul

Reg Wilson
Dan Brown

Leonor Watling
Josef's friend's wife

Isabel Coixet
Director

Isabel Coixet
Writer

Esther Garcia
Producer

Jean-Claude Larrieu
Cinematographer

Irene Blecua
Film Editor

Shaheen Baig
Casting

Pierre-François Limbosch
Production Design

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Critic Reviews for The Secret Life of Words

Audience Reviews for The Secret Life of Words

• Apr 04, 2012

  Sometimes people go through great amounts of pain and unbearable suffering, it takes a lot of time for them to be able to heal and go on with their lives. This movie helps us to understand that process and connect with other people's pain. It does it in a very slow pace, but that's the greatness and beauty of this movie. It gives us time to understand what these people have been through and shows how important it is that we do not forget. This movie is not for people who are not sensitive to think about what happened in Yuguslavia' some years ago and what the human cruelness can reach in war times.It also shows that there is a place in a world for those that have suffered, hurt, lonely, shy. And I am grateful for this movie, it shows that there is so much more in life than words, and that we all carry a rich universe in us to be explored if we love and are loved no matter who we are and what life has put us through. Simply beautiful and a must to see.
  Daisy M Super Reviewer
• Apr 04, 2012

  Not being much of a fan of Polley, this movie breaks all the rules. Wonderful story and fabulous acting (especially Polley). The way it slowly tells the stories of both Hanna and Josef and their journey together just mixes so well. FABULOUS!
  Leigh R Super Reviewer
• Sep 17, 2011

  I loved this movie, but I can see how its not or everyone. The exceptionally subdued action serves two purposes. It is required to focus the audience on the very understated revelation of the action and it mirrors the hidden secrets that both Polley's and Robbin's characters are hiding. The opening ten minutes without dialogue follow Polley (without dialog through her routing working in a loud twine factory and eating the same meal (chicken, apple and rice) every day without any personnel interaction. The sound goes silent for a minute and another employee taps her shoulder and she turns up her hearing aid revealing her near complete hearing loss. Her attention is piqued when she overhears a man trying to find out how to get a nurse to live on an oil rig for two weeks that is shutdown after a fatal fire that leave Robbins gravely burned not stable enough for transport. She surprisingly explains that she is a nurse. I really enjoyed picking up on the little tidbits of information and the study of what is not said in furtherance of the action. The lack of subtly after the climax was a little let down, but over all one of the most enthralling natural character studies I've seen in a long time.
  Bill C Super Reviewer
• Feb 04, 2008

  Tim Robbins had great dialog in this film (until the ending). A burn victim on an oil rig in the ocean, who falls in love with his war-refugee nurse Sarah Polley who shows him her cut up boobs. Turned out to be pretty great.
  Curtis L Super Reviewer

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