“Secret: A Hidden Score”/“言えない秘密“/”Ienai Himitsu,” starring SixTONES’ Taiga Kyomoto is a remake of the Taiwanese film “Secret“, which was a big hit in Asia. I haven’t seen the original version so I wasn’t aware of the “secret” of the movie.
I went and watched the film the other day, and I liked it so much that I decided to do an exclusive review for Dumpling Box!
ABOUT THE FILM
The film begins at the university where Higuchi Minato (played by Taiga Kyomoto), a prodigious pianist, has just arrived from abroad a year ahead of schedule due to a trauma.
Minato‘s father runs a café, called Café Polonaise, and one day while talking to his friend, Hikari Asano (played by Mayuu Yokota), he hears a mysterious piano melody in the university annex that he has never heard before.
Attracted by the beautiful melody, he meets Yukino Naito (played by Kotone Furukawa), a mysterious girl he has never seen before, and Minato becomes interested in Yukino. One day he meets her after class and asks her what the melody she played was, and she says, “Secret.” At that moment it is already clear that Yukino is hiding something. Minato tells Yukino his name, but Yukino doesn’t answer with hers.
On another day Minato is on the bench at his university, skipping class. Yukino goes to greet him and tells him that the bench has been hers for a long time.
As the two of them had never skipped class before, they decided to go for a walk. That’s when the two get to know each other. Minato asks for her contact number, but Yukino says she doesn’t have it because her mobile phone broke.
One day Minato meets his two friends from the university, and he is asked to do a piano battle with a privileged student from the same university. Minato, against his will, finds himself in front of the piano and has no choice but to play the piano.
Before the piano battle begins, Yukino meets Minato‘s friend, Hikari, at the university, and the two decide to watch together the piano battle.
Minato and the privileged student begin a passionate piano battle, while he gives a cold stare to his opponent.
While playing the piano, at the end Minato remembers his bad experience abroad and suddenly stops playing, signifying that he has lost. Yukino sees the scene and becomes worried.
Another day, Yukino meets Minato again on the bench at the university. Yukino sees Minato sad and decides to take him to the beach to cheer him up a bit.
There Yukino kisses Minato on the cheek and they play in the water.
Having all his clothes wet, Minato takes Yukino to his home, i.e. his family’s café. There is a piano there and Yukino decides to play a Chopin song. Minato at first shows no interest, but seeing Yukino having a good time, he decides to play with her. It is a passionate four-hand piano scene, where Minato rediscovers the joy of playing the piano.
Afterward, Minato takes Yukino to her house, although he doesn’t make it to the door because she tells him that her mother will be angry.
One day, Yukino is playing another Chopin melody on the piano in the university annex. The melody is a sad melody, as if something has changed in her. Minato decides to play with her and we are shown another passionate scene of four hands playing the piano.
Later, Yukino and Minato go to a Christmas concert and dance together. Minato gives her a Christmas present, and Yukino, as a Christmas present for Minato, decides to play the melody he heard the first day they met. It is a beautiful scene where you can see how much they are in love with each other.
After Minato takes Yukino home, she tells him not to play the melody on an old piano, and that one day she will tell him the truth.
Minato regains his passion for music and decides to enter a Chopin competition at his university. Everything seemed to be going well, but at that moment Yukino disappears. Minato tries to look for her, without success.
On the day of the Chopin competition, Yukino appears again, to say goodbye to him. Then Yukino disappears and Minato doesn’t understand what is going on around him and sets out to discover the truth behind it all. He wants to discover the secret that Yukino had tried so hard to hide.
When Minato discovers the truth behind everything, he cries for his unattainable love.
PERSONAL OPINION
It is a film that is not enough to watch once. When you know the secret, you will need to watch it again to appreciate it from another point of view and to be able to understand all the details you couldn’t realize the first time because you didn’t know the secret.
The film is very well made. When you discover the secret, all the parts fit together perfectly. There are no inconsistencies. In fact, there are so many details that a second viewing is not enough. You can watch it three or four times and still see details that you hadn’t seen in the previous viewings.
All the parts flow very well. This film will not leave you indifferent after watching it.
Taiga and Kotone‘s acting is spectacular. Taiga, with his facial expressions, manages to convey the trauma that Minato has and how, as the film goes on, he comes back to trust himself and the music.
Kotone shows her mysterious side perfectly. And after knowing the secret you can understand many expressions and phrases she said, and the reason behind them.
The locations where the film was shot were well chosen. In my opinion, the best place is the bench at the university. It’s very beautiful. Moreover, the annex where the old piano is located is also a wonderful place.
The piano scenes were really beautiful. Kotone already knew how to play the piano before so you could appreciate her talent. Taiga moved his fingers in an unusual way for a self-taught pianist. He practiced for 3 months the melodies he had to play in the film, as the director told him that he wanted to use, as much as possible, the scenes of him playing the piano. I was amazed at how in 3 months you can sound like a professional – a natural talent!
The film’s theme song, “ここに帰ってきて” (“Koko ni Kaettekite”) by SixTONES, is a song that, as the director said, without it the film would not be complete. After watching the film, you can fully understand that the lyrics of the song are from Minato‘s point of view. The lyrics are very beautiful, and the melody fits perfectly with the film. The chorus of the song emphasizes Minato’s feelings when the film ends.
Right now, it is being shown in cinemas all over Japan, so if you are in Japan, I recommend you go and watch it! It will definitely leave you moved.
This film is a work of art that makes you realize how the director and the cast have been able to give it their all to make it an award-worthy film. I really want it to be a film that is loved by everyone, and to be known internationally. I feel that this film has the potential to go quite far.
The official YouTube account uploaded a video of Minato and Yukino‘s first four-hand performance, so even if you’re not in Japan you can appreciate their perfect combination!
The soundtrack was made by Harumi Fuuki and it’s on Spotify so give it a try! It’s a beautiful soundtrack and I think it played an important role in making a wonderful film.
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