Can You Keep a Secret?

Can You Keep a Secret?

Year: 2008

Runtime: 106 mins

Language: French

Director: Alexandre Arcady

ComedyDrama

Delphine passes herself off as her boss’s lover.

Light-hearted
Happy ending
Emotionally light
Low intensity
Steady pacing
Simple story

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Can You Keep a Secret? (2008)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Can You Keep a Secret? (2008). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 2010s

The film is set in contemporary times, reflecting modern office culture, smartphones, and media scrutiny. It features live TV appearances and the rapid spread of information through tabloids and social chatter. The timeline centers on current-era corporate dynamics, romance, and personal growth that feel immediate and relatable.

Location

Chicago, New York

The story primarily unfolds in Chicago, where Emma travels for a Panda sales meeting and where most key scenes occur—offices, airports, and coffee shops shaping the romance and professional tensions. New York is referenced as Emma's origin and the broader corporate base of Panda, adding a sense of scale to the company’s reach. Chicago's fast-paced urban atmosphere provides the backdrop for Emma's personal and career challenges.

🏙️ Urban setting 🍕 Food culture 🗺️ City centers

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:23

Main Characters – Can You Keep a Secret? (2008)

Meet the key characters of Can You Keep a Secret? (2008), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Emma Corrigan

An ambitious junior marketing representative for Panda who reveals her deepest secrets on a plane, then navigates a fraught romance with her CEO. She balances career ambition with personal insecurities and learns to assert her own value beyond the gaze of others.

💼 Professional ❤️ Romantic 🤫 Secretive 🎭 Confidence issues

Jack Harper

The charming CEO of Panda who becomes Emma’s conflicted lover. His public persona hides private vulnerabilities as he tries to protect a goddaughter’s privacy, while also courting Emma and confronting the consequences of exposing secrets.

💼 Executive ❤️ Romantic 🔎 Secretive 🎭 Power

Connor

Emma's boyfriend who is left behind as she pursues excitement and truth, leading to a breakup that highlights the fragility of relationships under career stress.

❤️ Boyfriend 💬 Communication issues 💔 Breakup 🗣️ Honesty

Lissy

Emma’s roommate and confidante who cautions her about the power imbalance in her relationship with Jack and offers grounded, honest perspective on love and career.

👯‍♀️ Friend 🗣️ Advisor 💡 Realistic 🧭 Guidance

Cybill

Emma’s boss who eagerly takes credit for successful campaigns, embodying corporate opportunism and the pressure to advance.

🏢 Boss 🗒️ Strategist 💼 Office politics 🗣️ Approval-seeker

Nick

A Panda representative responsible for creative campaigns; his budget decisions and ad success are central to the workplace dynamics and Emma's challenge to the status quo.

🧠 Creative 🗳️ Budget 🗣️ Office politics 🚀 Ambition

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:23

Major Themes – Can You Keep a Secret? (2008)

Explore the central themes of Can You Keep a Secret? (2008), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🔒 Secrets

A central thread is Emma’s willingness to reveal intimate details to a stranger, and the consequences when those secrets become exposed by a powerful figure. The film explores privacy versus public persona, showing how personal vulnerabilities can fuel both connection and conflict. As secrets collide with ambition at Panda, the line between romance and manipulation blurs.

💼 Workplace Dynamics

Office politics drive much of the plot, from promotions to credit-taking. Emma navigates tense power balances, bosses who seek to control narratives, and the pressure to perform under scrutiny. The dynamic between Emma, Cybill, and Nick exposes how ambition and favoritism can shape careers.

❤️ Romance and Power

The romance between Emma and Jack sits atop a power imbalance—boss and employee—creating tension between desire and propriety. Their relationship tests trust as public exposure threatens their private life. The story resolves through honesty, mutual vulnerability, and choosing genuine connection over image.

📸 Public Image

Public perception drives the plot as media and colleagues scrutinize Emma’s life through Jack’s televised comments and office gossip. The film explores how a single misstep or reveal can alter reputation and opportunities. Emma’s quest for a fair chance at advancement intersects with how she is perceived by others.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:23

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Lighthearted Workplace Confessions like in Can You Keep a Secret?

Secret-filled romantic comedies set against a professional backdrop.If you enjoyed the charming mix of office life and romantic secrets in Can You Keep a Secret?, you'll love these movies. This list features comedies and dramas where professional settings spark humorous misunderstandings, personal growth, and feel-good romantic resolutions.

romantichumorousupliftinganxiousembarrassinghopefulcharmingawkward

Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically follow a protagonist navigating their professional life while hiding a personal secret, often related to romance or identity. The central conflict arises from the tension between their public persona and private truth, leading to comedic situations and a climax where the secret is revealed, ultimately resulting in personal and professional growth.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped together for their shared focus on low-stakes professional environments, the lighthearted tone of romantic misunderstandings, and the satisfying arc of self-discovery that resolves both personal and career conflicts in a positive, uplifting way.

Accidental Identity and Self-Discovery stories like Can You Keep a Secret?

Comedies where a lie about identity leads to genuine personal transformation.Looking for more movies like Can You Keep a Secret? where a harmless lie about identity spirals into a journey of self-discovery? These films share a pattern of comedic deception leading to unexpected personal growth and romantic fulfillment, all with a light and steady pacing.

self-discoveryhumorousembarrassinghopefulcharminganxioustransformativeromantic

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a protagonist who, often out of social anxiety or a desire for acceptance, fabricates an aspect of their life. This lie quickly escalates, creating a dual life they must maintain. The comedy stems from the near-misses and embarrassments, while the emotional core is the character's gradual realization that the persona they invented contains elements of their true, desired self, leading to an authentic transformation.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a specific comedic premise—the accidental identity—that drives both the humor and the character arc. They are united by a light tone, a focus on personal rather than high-stakes consequences, and a ultimately hopeful message about authenticity and growth.

Unlock the Full Story of Can You Keep a Secret?

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Can You Keep a Secret? Summary

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Can You Keep a Secret? Summary

Can You Keep a Secret? Timeline

Track the full timeline of Can You Keep a Secret? with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Can You Keep a Secret? Timeline

Can You Keep a Secret? Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Can You Keep a Secret? that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Can You Keep a Secret? Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Can You Keep a Secret?

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Can You Keep a Secret? (2008) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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Can You Keep a Secret? (2008) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow