“A Secret Love” Review by Brooke Daugherty : Pop Culture Leftovers

“A Secret Love” Review by Brooke Daugherty

June 7, 2020 4:05 pm |

When Ryan Murphy signed a 300 million dollar deal with Netflix, I was skeptical. I didn’t want more of the same. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw A Secret Love. He produced this heartwarming story of Terry and Pat and their love that lasted decades which they kept hidden from their families. Imagine living with the love of your life for 60+ years & not telling your family? While Queer people are more widely accepted and represented in the world today, that has not always been the case.

We follow Terry Donahue and her partner Pat Henshel as they tell the story of how they met and how their lives have changed in a country that now allows same sex marriage. The narrative is told through interviews, photographs, and home video footage. Most of which was found by Terry’s great nephew, Chris Bolan, who also directed and wrote the film with Alexa Fogel and Brenden Mason.

The story of these two women forming a friendship that blossomed into romance is beautifully told. We see the ups and downs of this relationship as well as their family relationships. Not everyone in their circle is happy with the couple coming out in their 80s–or at all for that matter. Even with more cultural representation, Terry and Pat’s experience is still similar to many people of all ages.

I absolutely recommend this documentary to anyone. The editing is as wonderful as the subjects. If you are a crier like me, know there are some times for tears.

PCL Rating: Tupperware

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: FRESH 🍅