Truly Dreadful Film

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This is a movie about people who are unusually kind to each other. I have not seen this side of gay life properly depicted before in movies. Back in the 70s, bands of gays and other sexual outliers would band together. The idea was very much one for all and all for one. The exclusion from general society and family made the bonds all the stronger.The movie also shows a very motley crew totally enjoying each other's company. You see them from all sides, not just high camp, but serious, happy, angry, in despair ... as well. It made me feel sorry for straight people living alone in their decorator mansions.The movie is subtle. It avoids Hollywood moments, while still taking you into unexpected places. It behaves with the tentativeness of real life rather than the decisiveness of a typical movie.It is a seductive movie, starting by showing each character in their worse light. Gradually you come to love them and care about them and to forgive their faults.

"His Secret Life" is the unimaginative American title. The Fairies in the original title is referred to a painting, what else? Margherita Buy, the central character in this surprising modern melodrama is a revelation, at least for me. She doesn't look like anybody else and at the same time she reminded me of several women I know. So middle class. Elegant without meaning too. Very difficult to sort out, describe or shake up. She takes the revelation of her husband's past as a British woman would, with a remarkable stiff upper lip. I mean, she is shocked, hurt, disturbed but she carries of all that in her eyes. She doesn't collapse with hysterics. The weakest link in this almost perfect fairy tale is the leading man Stefano Accorsi - Apparently a big star in Italy but I thought he was difficult to warm up to. There is a petulance there that I couldn't quite overcome so, as a consequence, I didn't care about him. I cared about Serra Yelmaz , a wonderful and truly original character. I also cared about Erica Blanc as the ultra sophisticated, lonely and wise mother of Marherita Buy's character. I also cared about Gabriel Garko because I think, he is the character, Ferzan Ozpetek, the director, cared about the most. At least Garko has the best, the most beautiful loving close ups of the entire film. Recommended

My first introduction to Ferzan Ozpetek, and a wonderful way to enter his world. The story unfolds as if it is rolling out before the viewer, and we learn about her husband's secret life just as Antonia does. What we find is lovely, and takes us and Antonia into a world full of despair and joy, fear and passion... and ultimately, love. These people at first glance might look like outcasts who have banded together for lack of a better place, but we soon realize that they are exactly where they want to be... and it is a wonderful life.Something worth mentioning -- without dwelling or preaching, Ozpetek shows us the tragedy of AIDS and shows us too that it is not without hope.Similar movies with the same feel include "KM 0" and "Second Skin" (both from Spain).Highly recommend.tlc

If film is about the message it wants to convey to its audience, this film has definitely achieved it. The subtle depiction of the gay community is so much different from the usual Hollywood stereotype gay men - your Queer as Folk kinda guy. While the soapy detail of Queer as Folk casts the image of the gay community as something really really different from the straight community hence giving it some sort of exclusivity (despised by many of the so called straight righteous community), Le Fate Ignoranti portrays the gay community as just 'the other human being.' Different maybe, but it doesnt emphasize the difference to the level that no straight mortal will be able to immerse let alone understand it. Le Fate Ignoranti portrays the gay community as just another 'group' in our society, facing the same humane problems - that gay men are nothing but another human beings deserve the same humane treatment and respect.Michele is so differently refreshing from his Hollywood counterparts, full of dignity and no cynicism towards the world that you usually find in those so called gay Hollywood films. While Hollywood gay men show only insecurity with their identity, Michele is oozing with confidence and is perfectly comfortable with his sexuality.This film and director Ferzan Ozpetek has definity done great job in the effort of establishing more insight into a 'more real' depiction of gay community.