In a negative review, The Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck found that the storylines play out in such a lazy and uninspiring manner, and that Wood's performance was the only noteworthy highlight in an otherwise boring film. Similarly, Variety Scott Foundas commended Wood for "bringing as much charm and subtlety to the part as the one-dimensional script and clunky direction will allow". Foundas was also critical of the characterization of the young protagonists, who in his opinion must have been written by adults who have forgotten how actual children behave. Scheck was equally unimpressed with the adult cast, save for the "always lively" Fox. In contrast, The Salt Lake Tribune Brandon Griggs felt the child characters were handled authentically and respectfully, while Crosswalk.com's Holly McClure appreciated the realistic depiction of the adult characters. Overall, McClure gave Little Secrets a positive review, with particular praise for its universal theme concerning secrets and lies. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times bemoaned the superficial, idyllic world the story was set in, a trend he felt was all-too-common in the family genre. Yet despite its "greeting card look and feel", he thought the film's moral was intriguing and handled skilfully by the filmmakers. Thomas also praised the three teenage leads, although he quibbled that Wood was a little "actressy" at times. David Sterritt of The Christian Science Monitor concurred that the characters and settings were unrealistically wholesome, giving the film a sitcom-like quality. Even so, both Thomas and Sterritt recommended the film as satisfying entertainment for family audiences. Accolades References External links 2000s children's films 2000s English-language films 2001 comedy-drama films 2001 films 2001 independent films American children's films American comedy-drama films American independent films Children's comedy-drama films Films about adoption Films about brothers Films about music and musicians Films about violins and violinists Films directed by Blair Treu Films set in Salt Lake City Films shot in Salt Lake City TriStar Pictures films 2000s American films