Synopsis
After her adoptive mother dies, Hortense, a successful black eye doctor, seeks out her birth mother. She’s shocked when her research leads her to a lower-class white woman, Cynthia. At first Cynthia denies the claim, but she eventually admits to birthing Hortense as a teenager, and the two begin to bond. However, when Cynthia invites Hortense to a family barbecue, Cynthia’s already tense relationship with her family becomes even more complicated.
Metrics
| Legs: | 21.98 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 83.4% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Production Budget: | $4,500,000 (worldwide box office is 3.6 times production budget) |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $33,652,000 |
Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists
| Record | Rank | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 4,801-4,900) | 4,883 | $13,417,292 |
| All Time International Box Office (Rank 8,601-8,700) | 8,610 | $2,673,582 |
| All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 6,301-6,400) | 6,399 | $16,090,874 |
| All Time Domestic Box Office for R Movies (Rank 1,801-1,900) | 1,824 | $13,417,292 |
| All Time International Box Office for R Movies (Rank 2,001-2,100) | 2,039 | $2,673,582 |
| All Time Worldwide Box Office for R Movies (Rank 2,001-2,100) | 2,031 | $16,090,874 |
See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | September 28th, 1996 (Wide) by October Films |
| International Releases: | May 24th, 1996 (Wide), released as Secrets And Lies (United Kingdom) |
| Video Release: | March 30th, 2021 by Criterion |
| MPAA Rating: | R for language |
| Running Time: | 142 minutes |
| Comparisons: | vs. Guten Tag, Ramon Create your own comparison chart… |
| Keywords: | Comedy Drama, Adopted Family Seeking Reunion, Interracial Child, Dysfunctional Family, 1997 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Source: | Original Screenplay |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Channel Four Films, Thin Man Films |
| Production Countries: | United Kingdom |
| Languages: | English |
Ranking on other Records and Milestones
| Record | Rank | Amount | Chart Date | Days In Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biggest Domestic 26th Weekend | 35 | $568,984 | Mar 21, 1997 | 177 |
| Biggest Domestic 25th Weekend | 54 | $418,600 | Mar 14, 1997 | 170 |
| Biggest Domestic 24th Weekend | 61 | $487,507 | Mar 7, 1997 | 163 |
| Biggest Domestic 23rd Weekend | 65 | $539,483 | Feb 28, 1997 | 156 |
| Biggest Domestic 22nd Weekend | 70 | $610,507 | Feb 21, 1997 | 149 |
| Biggest Domestic 21st Weekend | 88 | $550,999 | Feb 14, 1997 | 142 |
| Top 1996 Theater Average | 75 | $11,121 | Oct 4, 1996 | 9 |
| Never Wide Domestic | 70 | $13,417,292 | Sep 28, 1996 | 0 |