Arka Mukhopadhyay
With Elise Duran at the helm and based on the 2003 standalone novel by Sophie Kinsella, ‘Can You Keep a Secret?’ is an indie rom-com movie filled with a feel-good ambiance. The story revolves around Emma Corrigan, an ordinary girl with a flower in her hair. Although she messes up a client pitch, the trip to Chicago would potentially change Emma’s life. She spills all her secrets to the stranger sitting next to him, only to find out that the stranger is her boss. After the big reveal, Emma and Jack embark upon an awkward and goofy dating spree. But do they end up together by the finale? Let us revisit the love story. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Do Emma And Jack End Up Together?
Goofball rant-loving marketing analyst Emma Corrigan is the ubiquitous star of the show. While romance takes root, the movie also chronicles Emma’s coming-of-age. Emma is clumsy, prone to digress, and unsure of herself – not the kind that thrives in a high-functioning workplace environment. However, Emma comes off as genuine in sharp contrast to the multitude who keep a straight face while not knowing what they are doing. Emma does not have a clear idea, but she is honest about things. As the story trudges forward, we get glimpses into Emma’s world, and it seems that she is more intelligent than the first impression suggests.
On the other hand, Jack Harper, the mysterious and secretive smoothie, is a transparent foil to Emma. While Emma keeps blabbering, Jack rarely tells her anything about himself. After a terrible spillover of a market presentation in Chicago, Emma meets Jack on the flight back to New York. The turbulence in the flight initiates a near-death experience, propelling Emma to divulge everything about herself to the stranger sitting next to her. On her way back from the airport, Connor suggests to Emma that they should move in together.
Although Emma agrees, she regrets her decision the following morning. The morning, however, has more surprises in store for her. Little does she know that the soft-speaking stranger would be Jack Harper, the top guy at the company. However, if you have seen enough rom-coms, you should be able to see that coming. When Emma formally meets Jack at the office, she buries herself behind the desk out of embarrassment. However, Jack assures her that he will not fire her, but she cannot reveal that he was in Chicago in exchange. They shake hands and eventually develop an amicable friendship.
Jack asks Emma out for dinner, and Emma chooses a shady bar that may or may not exist. Emma is still quite awkward, but she agrees to falafel. They sit by the East River, and despite Emma’s hesitations, Jack says that the date is quite extraordinary. He excuses himself to take a phone call, but the night has a happy ending. Their love story shows promise, despite the apparent class difference. However, Emma does not know much about Jack. She encourages Jack to say more about himself, to which Jack shows her his deformed toe – a condition named Syndactyly. However, thanks to Emma’s indulgence, Jack knows all about her.
Emma does not give it much thought until Jack tells every little detail of her personality while describing his idea of “the girl on the street” in a live interview. Now, the whole office knows about the affair, and Emma’s colleague Casey goes to the extent of threatening Jack. Momentarily, Jack decides not to spill his secrets owing to his palpable trust issues. However, he finds Emma in Lissy’s dance venue and sheds some light on his trip to Chicago. His purpose of the visit is Alice, who is not Jack’s love interest as Emma thought, but the daughter of Pete, the deceased co-founder of the company.
Following the revelation, Jack and Emma attempt to mend things. However, after the show, Gemma brings in Nick – a reporter looking for a scoop on Jack’s scandal. Infuriated, Jack leaves the premises and gets on a flight back to Chicago. However, Emma decides to buy a ticket and follow Jack after giving it some thought. In a hackneyed manner, the ending takes place in the flight. After Emma apologizes, Jack gives away all his secrets in public, including losing his virginity to Lisa Greenwood. With the final kiss, it seems that they overcome the misunderstandings and end up together.
Read More: Where Was Can You Keep A Secret Filmed?
