Customer Reviews

Secret Society [VHS]

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This British/German comedy film stars Charlotte Brittain as Daisy, who is a loving wife to Ken (Lee Ross), both living in Yorkshire. Daisy is a plump woman, but Ken loves her because of that, so he flatly says no when she says she would lose weight. They are an amiable husband and wife, but the only problem is that Ken, though a nice chap, is constantly unemployed.

So, Daisy works at a local factory, where she is recruited by the chief of the place Marlene (Annette Badland, "Little Voice"), to join the "secret society." But that society is actually nothing like Free Mason; it is about sumo wrestling. And through the traditional Japanese sports Daisy finds something new which has been missing in her life.

The greatest asset of the film is the heroine Charlotte Brittain, who showed a scene-stealing turn in another British film "Get Real." And she is extremely charming and endearing here; no wonder Ken loves her so much, and you will see her natural charms exude from the film. Her name should be remembered much more by the film fans.

Ken is portrayed by Lee Ross with deft comic skills, and Ross succeeds in showing this guy in the sympathetic light. However, Ken's hobby (which is UFO spotting ... yeah, England is the land of trainspotting, so why not?) and its consequent comedy part is not as effective as Daisy part. Ken believes that his beloved wife's body is taken over by ... er ... aliens, but that sub-plot sounds too contrived, and only doing harm to the central plot, which should have been more explored.

As a Japanese, I have to mention one part of the film; its sumo. It is obvious that they researched much about sumo, and the comment on sumo such as "shin (spirit)" "gi (skill)" "tai (body)" is accurately translated. And if you doubt the existence of female sumo wrestlers, please don't. There is female sumo in Japan, even though not as popular as males'. And they wear special clothes for the "dohyo" (ring) as the film shows.

But, sumo is in fact much more dynamic sports than the film shows. They rush, they bump to each other, and throw the bodies of the opponent more powerfully than the film shows. Of course, this is a minor point, but I guess the film makers could have made it more authentic just by giving a call to sumo association in Japan, which, incidentally, would tell them that sumo wrestlers don't bathe in lake. And as to the kimono, we don't wear it like that.

Finally, the film belongs to the charming Charlotte Brittain, and she is the main reason for you to watch. She makes the film engaging without giving it any patronizing tone.

P.S. The premise strongly reminds us of "Full Monty," but the director Imogen Kimmel, it is reported, had already made a short film "Secret Society" in 1994 (on which this feature film is based), so the similarity could be just accidental. Whatever the truth may be, the comparion is inevitable, but unnecessary.

The star of this movie is a pretty and plump girl
who is joins her employer's sumo wrestling club
without telling her loving husband.
The husband is a bit balmy and thinks she has been
abducted and brainwashed by aliens.
For those who like their women with a little more flesh this movie will be a treat.
There is a certain element of spirit
when she wins her match with a male sumo wrestler
from Japan. These British have a way of sneaking up on you with their humor.

The storyline involves a group of women factory workers with generous figures who have decided to celebrate their girth by becoming sumo wrestlers. They use the art and philosophy of wrestling as a support system. The main characters are not the Sumo women but a new member of the group, a rather mousy woman and her unemployed husband. He is sweet but terribly immature and alternates between being too predictable and just plain weird. I found myself hoping that her new found sumo-self would find someone more in her league or that her sumo sisters would teach him a few things. Neither happens though she become a much stronger women as her sisters give her permission to grow both inside and out.

Love'em or hate 'em, idiosyncratic films that dabble with subversive notions and stories of fringe people make some viewers uncomfortable. You either get it or not. For those who do, there are rewards.

SECRET SOCIETY (First Run Features) is about Daisy (Charlotte Brittain), plump factory-worker wife adored by her unemployed husband. At work, Daisy's chubby lady boss grants favors to rotund female coworkers. One thing leads to another, soon Daisy's in a secret society of women sumo wrestlers. Suddenly, she must choose between keeping things as they are or risk becoming something exceptional. I was amazed and amused.