'

The Secret Life of Words

Play trailer

The Secret Life of Words

Released Dec 16, 2005

1h 52m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

69%

Tomatometer

39 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

A solitary nurse (Sarah Polley) bonds with a badly burned patient (Tim Robbins) who survived an accident on an oil rig.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

The Secret Life of Words is a slow, mannered drama, but with a revelatory and powerful ending that rewards the patient viewer.

Read Critics Reviews

Melissa Anderson

Time Out

Rated: 2/6

Sep 22, 2007

Full Review

Frank Scheck

The Hollywood Reporter

The claustrophobic and artificial atmosphere of the setting is unfortunately matched by the equally artificial drama.

Dec 30, 2006

Full Review

Ella Taylor

L.A. Weekly

What pleasure there is to be wrung from the exceptionally banal The Secret Life of Words lies in the harsh, unforgiving beauty (lyrically shot by Jean-Claude Larrieu) and wonderfully strange social life of the isolated rig.

Dec 22, 2006

Full Review

Jean-François Vandeuren

Panorama

Un parcours vers une existence un peu plus normale que Coixet illustre avec tact et simplicit en tirant merveilleusement profit de l'immense talent de ses deux interprtes

Rated: 7/10

Jan 29, 2010

Full Review

Andrew L. Urban

Urban Cinefile

Heartache is guaranteed. And so it is in The Secret Life of Words, a strangely beautiful film about an ugly memory that Hanna (Sarah Polley) carries for the rest of her life

Jul 25, 2008

Full Review

Walter Chaw

Film Freak Central

Can't resist the meaningful political backstory that will transform her characters into symbols--that is, into ventriloquist dummies rattling off humdrum rhetoric.

Rated: 1.5/4

May 3, 2007

Full Review

Read all reviews

Jamie K

This is one of my top 5 favorites of all time. The story is truly believable and plays on multiple emotions. The cast and acting are superb. ❤️❤️

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/22/25

Full Review

John M

A story of trauma, partly from the Balkans war, events of psychological damnation inflicted, parallel and explosive flames aboard an oil rig, each nurse one another and a little bag that connects them both.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/24/24

Full Review

Audience Member

It's a wonderful film. I feel lucky to have sent it on the big screen. You don't see many like this any more.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

a difficult story to tell, counted with powerful images

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Wounds of mind are always more difficult to heal than those of flesh.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

In the middle of story, it seems to be so forced.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Isabel Coixet

Director

Sarah Polley

Hanna

Tim Robbins

Josef

Javier Cámara

Simon

Sverre Anker Ousdal

Dimitri

Julie Christie

Inge

My Life Without Me

65%

87%

My Life Without Me

Watchlist

The Holy Girl

78%

59%

The Holy Girl

Watchlist

Live Flesh

80%

87%

Live Flesh

Watchlist

This Revolution

18%

70%

This Revolution

Watchlist

Self-Medicated

37%

52%

Self-Medicated

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

RTIndie: Suit-Seeking Bob Dylan Isn’t the Only One Against "Factory Girl"

Critical Consensus: "Charlotte’s Web" Is Good, Indeed; Smith Is Strong, "Pursuit" Less So; "Eragon" Gets Burned

View more photos

Synopsis

A solitary nurse (Sarah Polley) bonds with a badly burned patient (Tim Robbins) who survived an accident on an oil rig.

Director: Isabel Coixet
Producer: Esther García
Screenwriter: Isabel Coixet
Production Co: El Deseo S.A.
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 16, 2005, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 8, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $20.0K
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Most Popular at Home Now