The Movie Oracle: The Secret (2006)

Three thumbs down.

Apo ll o: Positive thinking does lead to beneficial results--on a psychological level. But the folks in this movie claim it is connected to the universe, so that positively believing you will get a new car will actually make it appear--no further effort required. Now, that's just ridiculous. There's an old Greek proverb: Hermes will help you get your wagon unstuck, but only if you push. I believe monotheists say something similar: God helps those who help themselves. Think about it. Thumbs down.

At hena: So "the secret" can help you get money, a job, or a new house. Hmm... Is there something suspect about these goals? Everyone, if you believe "the secret" really works, fine--that's your choice. Just do me one favor: try wishing for an end to the genocide in Darfur. I would so love for you to be right.

The really sad part is that some people put their heart and soul into this method, and what happens when their thoughts don't materialize? They blame themselves for not being positive enough. Or they figure they were doing it wrong, so they buy more books and attend more workshops. I'm sorry, but this is a con to get your money. Don't fall for it. Thumbs down.

Dionysos: You know, people say this is not fact but "entertainment." If so I might have loved the origin story, a delicious yarn a la The DaVinci Code of how "the secret" was concealed through the ages by the powers that be. But it's presented as truth, and that makes it very different from entertainment. Theater uses illusions to tell the truth. This uses theatrics to tell a lie. Thumbs down.

The Secret, produced by Rhonda Byrne, dramatizes the Law of Attraction. Through this mysterious principle, all your dreams can come true. There are only three simple steps: 1. Ask, 2. Believe, and 3. Receive. It has been called "the Unsolved Mysteries of infomercials."
Director: Drew Heriot
Professionals/authors interviewed: Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul), John Gray (Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus), Denis Waitley, Neale Donald Walsch, Dr. Fred Alan Wolf, Bob Proctor, Rusty G. Parrish, John Assaraf, Rev. Michael Beckwith, John Demartini, James Arthur Ray, Joe Vitale, John Hagelin, Lisa Nichols, Marie Diamond, Lee Brower, Hale Dwoskin, Cathy Goodman, Morris E. Goodman, , Bill Harris, Ben Johnson, and Loral Langemeier.
Rotten Tomatoes rating: NA
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DID YOU KNOW? The Law of Attraction is basically sympathetic magic. Its principle, "like attracts like", underlies nearly all magical and shamanic practices the world over, including those of ancient Greece.