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Can You Keep a Secret? (2008) movie poster

Spoiler-Free Summary

Can You Keep a Secret? (2008) Spoiler-Free Summary – What It's About

Release, runtime and language
2008 · 106 mins · French
Directed by
Alexandre Arcady
Starring
Pierre Arditi, Michaël Youn, Antoine De Caunes, Ary Abittan, Géraldine Nakache, Corinne Puget

Delphine passes herself off as her boss’s lover.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 What it is about
  2. 2 Is it worth watching?
  3. 3 After you watch
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Categories
  6. 6 Every angle

Spoiler-free summary · safe to read

What Is Can You Keep a Secret? About? (No Spoilers)

The plot of Can You Keep a Secret? (2008) without spoilers: what it is about, who it follows and where it takes place, told without the twists or the ending. Enough to decide whether it is your next watch, not enough to ruin it.

In the sleek, bustling world of a Chicago‑based organic‑food company, the everyday grind of meetings, branding pitches, and office chatter is tinged with an undercurrent of humor and restless ambition. The setting feels both corporate and intimate, a place where lofty ideas about healthy living coexist with the very human need for connection, making the tone a blend of witty romance and light‑hearted drama.

Emma Corrigan is a junior marketing representative whose confidence wavers as much as the turbulence she endures on a routine flight home. In a moment of vulnerability, she unloads a torrent of professional frustrations and personal doubts, spilling secrets that would normally stay hidden behind a desk. This candid confession sets the stage for an unexpected entanglement that blurs the line between private confession and public consequence.

Enter Jack Harper, the company’s charismatic CEO, who arrives on the scene with a proposition that hinges on the very secrets Emma has just revealed. Their uneasy agreement to keep one another’s truths concealed creates a delicate dance of power, trust, and attraction, while the office buzzes with curious colleagues—including Connor, Emma’s boyfriend, and Nick, a fellow marketer—each adding their own perspectives on ambition and loyalty. Emma’s roommates, Lissy and Gemma, pepper the mix with candid advice and a bit of mischief, reminding her that personal and professional lives rarely stay neatly separated.

Against this backdrop of bustling boardrooms, late‑night brainstorming sessions, and the ever‑present hum of city life, the story teases a compelling question: how far will Emma go to protect what she’s shared, and what will happen when the boundaries between secret and exposure begin to shift? The film promises a charming exploration of hidden desires, workplace intrigue, and the surprising ways honesty can reshape both career and heart.

Last updated: October 11, 2025 at 19:42

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What to expect

Is Can You Keep a Secret? Worth Watching? What It Feels Like

Is it dark, sad, slow, intense or confusing? The mood of Can You Keep a Secret? (2008) in a few tags, without a word about how it ends. Each tag opens a list of movies that feel the same.

After you watch

Seen Can You Keep a Secret?? Now Read the Spoilers

Once you have watched Can You Keep a Secret? (2008), come back for the full story: the plot summary with spoilers, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning.

Movie threads

More Movies Like Can You Keep a Secret?, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Can You Keep a Secret? tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

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.

  • romantic
  • humorous
  • uplifting
  • anxious
  • embarrassing
  • hopeful
  • Tone: light, humorous, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: 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 they belong together: 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-discovery
  • humorous
  • embarrassing
  • hopeful
  • charming
  • anxious
  • Tone: light, humorous, uplifting
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: 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 they belong together: 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.

Categories

Movie Lists Featuring Can You Keep a Secret?

Can You Keep a Secret? appears in these hand-built movie categories. Each one groups movies by a specific mood, theme or story type, with their plot summaries and endings explained.

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Every angle

Can You Keep a Secret? (2008) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Can You Keep a Secret? in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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