Adapted from an award-winning novel that no doubt gave the time and space for its characters to breathe, the movie fails to give any emotional weight to those on screen.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Dec 2, 2021

In the end the plot falls back on melodramatic clichés of forbidden love.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 5, 2019

In even the smallest expressions of this freedom, whether it's a rare grin from Mara or Redgrave playing a few bars of "Moonlight Sonata," "The Secret Scripture" soars.

| Nov 1, 2018

On a positive note, Rooney Mara is a very talented actress and is as captivating as ever in the film - Bana and Redgrave also do their best with the material, but the strong cast is not enough to rescue this dud of an adaptation from Sheridan.

| Mar 23, 2018

Fine, lush-looking, understated 2016 wartime drama from veteran Jim Sheridan...Perfect arthouse fare, this.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 13, 2017

This is a honourable film that has hits and misses. Watch it for the performances, particularly Redgrave's. Its most telling line is this: Bravery in the face of the enemy

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 8, 2017

The Secret Scripture is a highly streamlined adaptation of Sebastian Barry's 2008 Man Booker finalist.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 8, 2017

... all the window dressing in the world isn't enough to hide the fact that this misbegotten load of old tosh really doesn't add up to a coherent or credible yarn. Avoid.

| Original Score: 1.5/5 | Dec 7, 2017

A minor disappointment.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Dec 6, 2017

... a new missed opportunity to regain the respect of critics and the public. [Full review in Spanish]

| Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 25, 2017

As the mystery unfolds, the film gradually strains credibility and becomes more formulaic in structure.

| Oct 13, 2017

Mara and Redgrave are beautifully cast and extremely good in the central role. But you do need to be up with your Anglo-Irish history and you may find the last lap as contrived as it is sentimental.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 11, 2017

Sheridan's adaptation of Sebastian Barry's Man Booker-shortlisted novel begins portentously and spirals downwards from there.

| Original Score: 1/5 | May 19, 2017

Its lack of nuance and persistent plotting issues frequently undermine much of the potential emotional heft.

| Original Score: 2/5 | May 19, 2017

The overall power of the story is female suppression across the ages that really hits home - subtly interwoven, but accompanied by that unsavoury feel of demonising the independent screen female again.

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 19, 2017

Mara ensures that we feel for Rose, and James is surprisingly effective as the man who ruins Rose's life, but The Secret Scripture isn't as moving or intriguing as it should be.

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 18, 2017

The result is still a handsome romantic epic but it lacks the emotional punch of the book.

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 18, 2017

Sebastian Barry's Costa prizewinning novel is gutted and reconstituted to the point of absurdity in this cockeyed adaptation.

| Original Score: 1/5 | May 18, 2017

Variously lukewarm and lugubrious ...

| Original Score: 2/5 | May 18, 2017

It's the construction, not the performances, which undermines The Secret Scripture.

| Original Score: 2/5 | May 17, 2017