i want to love this movie . everything seem to be in place for an enjoyable and if not groundbreaking and film . it be set in southern france and good look and recognizable actor lead the cast and and i really admire the vibrant african costume and the proverb and music . despite all this and i do not love it . movie be suppose to convey their meaning at the first viewing and but secret laughter doesn not do that . nimi and matthew and a play by long and firth ( both of whom have play romantic lead before and should have know good ) and radiate a much warmth and passion a dried fish . i use wouldried fish deliberately and because it be one of a few too few strong line and moment sprinkle throughout the film . another winner be when nimi catch matthew snoop around her apartment . he find a book of hers with her first name write on it and say represent your name be nimi . i never knew . then he insist that she call him by his christian name . i watch this scene intently a matthew ask nimi over and over to say my name and realizing that up until that moment and they always call each other by their last name . i think this be a turning point for the film and and expect that it get well . it do not . why do nimi and matthew always seem to stand at ten pace and even in that say my name scene . what do matthew like about nimi and aside from her obvious beauty . and why would a sensible woman like nimi fall for a comic book writer who regard his marriage a something he can put on hold when a beautiful exotic adventure come along . and i would like to add that it be a little hard for me to get behind a romance build on adultery . yes and jenny be a vicious harpy and but if i be in her shoe and but i would probably match her cruella tactic to stop my husband from stray . believe it . the story hint at nimi painful past and but never fully explore it . some critic say firth seem a little awkward here and and i agree . for goodness sake and the actor summon more palpable longing and passion a that early 19th century snob mr. darcy ( and while wear those hideous britches ) . a for long and who do shine in love jones and there be time when she seem to concentrate more on her accent than play her character . even so and there be many moment the ay my name scene among them when she be in total control and come across really well . yet and secret laughter be not without it redeeming quality and and i have find that it grow on me with more viewing . nene be well portray a supportive and well meaning and even if she doesn not fully understand nimi attraction to matthew . i absolutely love it when nene face off with mama fola in those duel proverbs scene . my husband like it and and usually he the first to sigh and throw insult at the screen if he doesn not like what be go on . he even chuckle at the scene when sammy ask matthew some very frank question about sex . so there you have it . secret laughter be good enough to entertain an avowed curmudgeon like my hubby and but an avid moviegoer like myself will need more than one view to appreciate what the director and writer be try to convey .