Product Details

• Actors: Evan Rachel Wood, Michael Angarano, David Gallagher, Vivica A. Fox, Jan Broberg Felt
• Directors: Blair Treu
• Writers: Jessica Barondes
• Producers: Blair Treu, Don Schain, Jessica Barondes
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Unknown)
• Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Taiwanese Chinese
• Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
  PLEASE NOTE: Some Region 1 DVDs may contain Regional Coding Enhancement (RCE). Some, but not all, of our international customers have had problems playing these enhanced discs on what are called "region-free" DVD players. For more information on RCE, click here.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• DVD Release Date: February 4, 2003
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00007KK51
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #29,132 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Little Secrets" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Keeping secrets is difficult and, sometimes, unhealthy. Emily (Evan Rachel Wood) discovers a talent for keeping secrets early in life and deems the skill marketable enough to open her own neighborhood business. Emily is also an amazing violin player with high aspirations for a musical career. Secret-keeping proves lucrative at first, but eventually the burden weighs on Emily and affects her ability to concentrate, hurting her chances of making the local youth symphony. Resolving her dilemma requires the help of two new friends, her violin teacher, parents, and a fair amount of soul-searching. Eventually, Emily's journey leads to the dissolution of her business and a cathartic revelation of a major secret of her own. The moral of Emily's experiences: "You can't keep secrets about yourself and live a true life," and "if you want to be close to someone, you can't keep secrets from them." (Ages 7 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Product Description

EMILY, A 14 YEAR OLD VIOLINIST, SKIPS SUMMER CAMP TO PREPARE FOR AN AUDITION WITH A YOUTH ORCHESTRA. SHE ALSO SET UP A SIDE BUSINESS AS A SECRET KEEPER, CHARGING A FEE TO SHARE & KEEP THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS SECRETS. SHE SOON LEARNS THAT THERE'S A PRICE TO KEEPING SECRETS THAT CAN'T BE MEASURED IN COINS.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate feel-good movie, September 3, 2002

By	"skittery99" (Denver, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews

Director/Producer Blair Treu and Writer Jessica Barondes have accomplished something very unique with their recent release Little Secrets. This movie, my vote for sleeper of the year, is hard to find but worth the search. Despite its low budget Little Secrets sports an enjoyable adult cast including 2 of my favorites: Tayva Patch and Rick Macy. But the real treat is the young cast. Three leading actors and about 10 supporting actors round out this youthful cast and make this movie a true delight. Their characters are entirely believable and entertaining. Evan Rachel Wood and Michael Angarano give some of the best performances from young actors that I have ever seen in a movie. Their interactions with each other are sheer magic. David Gallagher, while acting a slightly smaller and less interesting part also does a fine job.

The basic premise of this movie centers around the main character, Emily, played by Wood. She is a young violinist anxious to join the symphony. As a side hobby she is a "secret keeper". All of the kids in her neighborhood come to her and share their secrets for 50 cents. And she never divulges a secret to anyone. When Phillip and David move into the neighborhood (Angarano and Gallagher respectively), Emily begins to experience a new set of emotions through a comical series of adventures that make her question, well, just about everything. Its all there: love, anger, confusion, the usual teen turmoil. So true was this to the adolescent mentality that I was taken back to my own youth. It was sheer enjoyment.

Now, I must warn you. If you are the type who likes loud, vulgar movies with women running around in thongs with excessive James Bond-like action replete with explosions every 30 seconds and graphic violence and music that sounds like it was recorded in the depths of Hades, this is probably not the movie for you. You might be better off with something starring Vin Diesel. However, if you like a clean, moral, sensitive film that is funny and entertaining while encouraging profound introspection, go to Little Secrets. It might be hard to find, but it is well worth the effort. This is good cinema. I hope to see more films of this type in the future. Take the kids. Take the whole family!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars depth , sensitivity & humor in a family movie, February 14, 2003

By	Marit "Another mom to 5" (Boise, Idaho USA) - See all my reviews

This movie delighted even my husband - who does not do the kid flick thing. My children all loved it - age 6-10, though only the eight and up crowd understood all of the elements. What amazed the adults is that here was a charming movie of an unusual but believable over-achiever who simply profits by keeping secrets for other children. The characters we follow through the movie are entirely entertaining, although there were a few minor lapses in acting believability in some of the younger children in supporting roles.

The movie keeps the audience interested and entertained from one element to another as the secret keeper's own secrets sensitively unfold. We considered this worth watching several times and that is not something we usually do.

The drama of the story is not quite Oscar Material, maybe a 4.5 stars, but for a family movie, Mom and Dad will be pleasantly surprised and satisfied that it was money - and time - well spent. If you are looking for a stirring and entertaining movie for children age 8-100, this one should please everyone. I strongly recommend this purchase.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hits all the right notes- great family viewing!, June 18, 2003

By	K. Corn "reviewer" (Indianapolis,, IN United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Little Secrets [VHS] (VHS Tape)

If you're looking for a wonderful movie to watch with your kids, check out this one...it tells a very believable story with heart and integrity. Although it is probably geared towards females ages 7-12, it kept this adult riveted.
At the heart of the film is fourteen year old Emily (played by Rachel Wood) who is the neighborhood "secret keeper", charging a small fee so that the neighborhood children can unload their guilty consciences (and sometimes a broken item or two) with her. Unbeknownst to her young clients, however, Emily has her own secret, a huge one, which she has been hiding for years.
Meanwhile, complications ensue as Emily finds that secrets and lie have a way of growing more difficult to hide.
All of this unfolds in a very believable way. How refreshing to find a film that teaches solid values without heavy moralizing or preaching to its audience. I'm buying several copies to give as gifts because I think films like this deserve support..and, hopefully, more like this will be made. Highest recommendation for this one!