Review - Family Secret

I firmly believe that talented filmmakers are capable of making their productions shine regardless of any limitations. Whether those limitations come in the form of small budgets, time constraints or any number of other possibilities, talent always comes through. And in the case of Family Secret, that couldn’t be more true. Geno McGahee was the writer and director on this project, and despite this film being made under obviously limiting conditions, he still managed to create an outstanding piece of film that stands apart.

Family Secret showcases the life and (very trying) times of reporter Geno McGee. You might notice that the main protagonist’s name is very similar to that of the director, but hopefully we’ll manage to avoid any confusion, as the two are at least spelled slightly differently.

Geno McGee (the reporter, not the director) is a newspaperman who distanced himself from the bulk of his family long ago. But once more finds himself tossed amid their turmoil and drama thanks to the death of his grandmother. Unfortunately, the reunion turns out to be bittersweet as more than just old memories start turning up; dead bodies begin to appear as well.

Being the intrepid reporter that Geno is, he’s hot on the case and trying to get to the bottom of things, but the police are also heavily invested in discovering who the killer is, and matters only become more complicated when a witness describes the murderer as being none other than Geno’s recently deceased grandmother.

Family Secret has a very well-written plot, with plenty of twists and turns, great dialogue between the characters peppered throughout, and lots of room for conflict. I think Geno McGahee (the director this time) deserves an immense amount of credit for penning such a solid thriller yarn, not to mention for bringing it to life with his directing abilities.

The budget on Family Secret was obviously close to sub-zero, as everything from make-up, special effects and set design, to casting and production quality were held together by duct tape and twine. The actors appearing in the film were also a bit of a mixed bag, as some of them put in solidly acceptable performances for a micro-budget project, while others came off as very stiff and wooden. The two most outstanding performances were probably put in by Forris Day Jr, whom did a very good job as the main star of the film, although he did come off slightly stiff at times, and Alex Pierpaoli, who really stood out in his role as the abusive drunk uncle.

But in my opinion, the real star of Family Secret was the story. It really managed to capture my interest and keep me guessing right up until the end. And that’s a rare treat, regardless of whether I’m watching a modest production like this, or even an A-list blockbuster in the theatre. The general humor and biting tone of the dialogue was also a pleasure to watch as it played out on screen, and really added immensely to my enjoyment of the whole film.

I think Family Secret is an outstanding example of what can be accomplished when you put a bunch of talented people in a room with five bucks and a camera. They might not have much to work with, but they bring so much to the table on their own that it really doesn’t matter. The end result is always a greatly enjoyable surprise.

Check this one out. It’s a definite recommendation.

Director: Geno McGahee
Production: X Posse Productions
Distribution: Tempe Video

This film receives a score of:

8 out of 10