May 28, 2023

The Secret (2006)

1 hour 38 minutes

Papyrus font, LORD OF THE RINGS inspired sound effects, and breathless interviews with "philosophers" and "visionaries" set the tone for one of the most defining spiritual movements of the 2000s — THE SECRET. This metaphysical self-help film, written by Australian author and TV producer Rhonda Byrne, would go on to gross $300 million after she adapted it into a book, and it was famously championed by talk show host and self-help mogul Oprah Winfrey. Basically, THE SECRET instructs us to manifest our desires by thinking positively with intentional focus. Money and other material wants will come "freely and easily" to those of us who are grateful to the universe's bounty, but negative thoughts can just as easily have life-ruining consequences. This idea isn't new — the "law of attraction" had been a pop spirituality concept ever since the New Thought movement of the early 20th century — but THE SECRET crystallized it in such an accessible way that it has become a household concept for millions of people, regardless of their religious identity. Despite its emphasis on positivity, THE SECRET gets dark, quickly. Its intentionally vague promises of easy miracles (free money, cured cancer, dates with beautiful women) are bait to desperate people yearning for a way out of the mundane brutality of their lives. Also, one of the prominently featured "philosophers" interviewed in the film, James Arthur Ray, would go on to negligently kill three of his followers in a tragic accident in a homemade sweat lodge during a "vision quest" experience. Watch THE SECRET and be entertained by its madcap pace and bizarre claims, but do so at your own risk — one incorrect thought can change your life!

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