Secret Society (2000) User Reviews

Quirky little movie

[TM-2 · 6/10 · 19 January 2003]

This movie is about a woman finding inner strength. While the main characters are overweight it is not really about them overcoming this. They were overcoming problems that all people have. The overweight theme is simply a vehicle to help focus the story. That said, the women were very attractive and, for me at least, it reinforced that beauty is truely in the eye of the beholder. This movie has been compared to The Full Monty (first class) and Billy Elliot (second class). It is probably not as good as either but better than a lot of the typical Hollywood foder.

Sweet feel good movie.

[expressodevil · 14 March 2003]

I enjoyed the movie on 2 levels: first, because the heroine is really cute without being a dull ingenue or a tacky vamp a la Britney Spears,she has a real life and nothing seems contrived about her character.Secondly, the movie offers the opportunity to see onscreen the kind of self-assured goddesslike beauty that inspires women of many sizes and creed to be themselves and love themselves the way they are. I have to admit that, at first, all I could see was the women's size, yet by the end of the movie, I felt like I had taken a vacation from the oppressive standards of beauty I have to mesure myself to on a daily basis.This is well worth the price of the rental or movie ticket.I personally think the Sumo wrestling theme was the most interesting element of the plot and <SPOILERS> that the subplot about the aliens was completely unnecessary and distracting from the fascinating mystery of the Sumo practice and philosophy. The art design was great: you won't forget the costumes, make up or beautiful sets.

Not just bad but utterly terrible

[Alburt · 1/10 · 21 September 2009]

You know how people are apt to say - "Oh that film was terrible, probably the worst film I've ever seen." about any film they've just seen which they didn't really enjoy? On the whole they don't really mean it, some films aren't very good but they are not terrible and after a few years the film fades from their heads. This film sadly has stayed with me and even now nearly ten years later it is still the bench mark upon which all unenjoyable films are compared - such was my bewilderment to its odd plot, its drastic script, its bad acting, its poor camera work, its off sound layering and strange editing which kept cutting off in the middle of people's sentences. This was made even more odd by the Czech audience lapping it up?

Not even so bad thats its good - just really really, mind scarringly awful. Avoid at all costs.

A romantic comedy?

[andrithor-2 · 1/10 · 9 April 2006]

This is a warning to you innocent people out there that have heard about good British humor - this is not a comedy! Ì managed to watch half the movie and was forced to stop it! I got a feeling that this was a school project done by a 12 year old retard, with total respect for them. This is the worst, WORST!!, movie i have ever seen! Acting is horrible, cant really call it acting, the story is even worse and the humor is simply missing, and i was hoping for a good British humor but was left with a headache and a puking feeling, stomach ache and nosebleed! Some scenes are plain and simply painful to watch. Spend your money on something else!

A different movie, that serves as a showcase for beauty of a different kind

[j-jabberwock · 8/10 · 29 January 2008]

While this isn't the greatest film of all time, it's one of the sweetest and most different ones I've seen.

Daisy, the main character isn't your usual run-of-the-mill heroine, either in looks or how she deals with her situation. It's unusual to see large people treated with such affectionate respect in a film, and this made it refreshingly different.

Daisy is unhappy with her size, but is taught to see it as a strength in the context of female sumo-wrestling. It sure makes a change from all the American "make-over" films, where the heroine is changed beyond recognition, and turned into a swan before she can have her happy ending. Daisy is just as loved at the beginning as at the end, for the person she is, but she has learnt also to see her own strength and beauty and can carry on with her life with new-found confidence.

The plot was a little thin, the "alien threat" side-plot just plain silly, but I didn't mind, since the characters had already won my heart.

I'm not a large person myself, but am concerned with the extreme ideals transmitted by the film industry and media today, so it was nice to see a film that dared to show a different beauty than the commercial norm.

I've watched this with my children (10 & 13) and they thought it was sweet and funny. My husband enjoyed it too, rather to my surprise, he isn't much for chick-flicks. It isn't a "laugh-out loud" comedy, but nice to watch for the beautiful images of large beauty and left a warm after-glow.

Sumo babes lookin' for respect...and, you better believe they get it!

[TheVid · 1 April 2003]

This oddly engaging film about a chubby girl recruited into a ladies sumo club has enough off-beat humor to win you over. While it's a ladies night out, the real charm of the picture lies with the insightfully delivered male viewpoint. A unexpected, good-natured treat.

Just have fun!!

[reikjavik · 8/10 · 20 October 2000]

An incredibly funny movie on a group of fat women "in action", as the director says. This group of women not only accept their bodies (so different from the "anemic" ones we are used to see on movies, TV and magazines), but also take profit from them in their secret sumo society, until the point that they almost get to be (after some confusions) "local heroines". With a planification that sometimes reminds TV spots, this movie (maybe in the line of the unavoidable "Full monty") is a reivindication of all the normal women, those who are not allowed to be shown in the modern media.

"Quirky"

[simpleandrew · 27 November 2002]

I watched this film in Brno in CZ where it was billed as an art-house movie. I didnt really know what was going on, everybody else seemed to think this was the funniest film out. I was just glad i was with some other people who also didnt laugh - so at least i knew i wasnt going insane. Anyway its got Lisa Reilly in it- she presents comedy clip show "youve been framed". Its also got the ginger off Hollyoaks in it. I didnt think the flim was funny, i just thought it was bizarre - probably one of the most bizarre experiences of my life in fact.

Anyaway, you should maybe check it out, if you like the larger lady. If not i would probably avoid unless u know someone in it.