Secret Life (2007) (TV)

Director:

Rowan Joffe

Release Date:

2007 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Holly Aird	...	Emma
Michele Austin	...	Probation Officer
Angel Coulby	...	Young Mum
Philip Davis	...	Rudyard Hamilton aka Rudi
Shahnequa Duprey	...	Kelly
Holly Gibbs	...	Chloe
David Hinton	...	Duty Sergeant
Lorna Lacey	...	Girl at funfair
Matthew Macfadyen	...	Charley
Rebekah Manning	...	Job Officer
Yasmin Paige	...	Michaela
Victoria Pritchard	...	Prostitute
Paul Warren	...	Sex Offender

Directed by
Rowan Joffe

Produced by
Madonna Baptiste	....	producer
Kate Murrell	....	line producer

Original Music by
Max de Wardener

Film Editing by
Colin Monie

Casting by
Carrie Hilton
Tamara Notcutt

Set Decoration by
Robert Wischhusen-Hayes

Costume Design by
James Keast

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Croucher	....	third assistant director
Chris Fry	....	first assistant director
Paula Turnbull	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Lisa McDiarmid	....	stand-by art director

Sound Department
James Bain	....	boom operator
Rudi Buckle	....	sound recordist
Richard Davey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chris Treble	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Wailoon Chung	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sarah Moore	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Giles Burgess	....	first assistant editor
Kevin Horsewood	....	colorist

Other crew
Alison Barnett	....	head of production
Nicole Chapman	....	floor runner
Mark Ellis	....	location assistant
Rebecca Ellis	....	production runner
Mark Kinsella	....	production coordinator
Richard May	....	location manager
Chloe Newman	....	production runner

Production Companies

• Channel 4 Television Corporation
• Kudos Productions Ltd.

Distributors

• Channel 4 Television Corporation (2007) (UK) (TV)

Other Companies

• Casting Collective  extras casting

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Channel 4 Television Corporation

Educated (I think!) look at a paedophile's 'return to society'

Casting Matthew MacFadyen in the lead role seems a gamble both by the film-makers and also for the actor. However, this drama (in my opinion), seems well-researched enough, for the reputations of both to remain intact.

Thought-provoking, sensitive and filmed from a shifting perspective, the drama deals with an incredibly delicate subject well. Upon watching it, it's possible you may find yourself questioning your own empathy to various characters.

I'm determined to stay the right side of "contains spoilers", so it ties my hands somewhat. But please, 'give this a go', it has been written well, and is incredibly well acted. Kudos to MacFadyen for taking on an astonishingly difficult part.

Pace, direction and length are spot-on. You cannot predict the ending, it is very much (too) new territory to even get near the inner-workings of the lead's mind. The children in the roles act well too, and having 2 girls around the ages suggested, I can vouch for the authenticity of their naiveté, speech, false confidence and over-estimation of being 'streetwise'. A little scary in parts, but overall, a very interesting look at an extremely controversial, even taboo subject, through (a lot of the time), the eyes of the person you would least want to.

Bravo to Channel 4 for having the balls to get this made and shown.