Director: Juan José Campanella
Year: 2009 Runtime: 129 minutes
Rating: Rated R for a rape scene, violent images, some graphic nudity and language.
Language: Spanish Country: Argentina
IMDB rating: 8.3 /10 Tomatometer: 91%
The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos) is an instant Argentine film classic and the Oscar winner of the 2010 Best Foreign Language Film of the Year. It stars actor Ricardo Darín (of Nueve Reinas) who turns in another outstanding performance. The movie starts with Darín, who plays Benjamín Esposito, a retired criminal investigator who is struggling to write a novel about an unresolved rape and murder that has haunted him for the past 25 years. As he seeks closure, he digs through his memory and revisits a few different characters who were involved in the case. This focuses mainly around his old boss Irene Menéndez Hastings and Ricardo Morales the murder victim’s husband.
The Secret in Their Eyes takes us back and forth between Buenos Aires 1974 and 2000. We are introduced to the brutal crime and all the players. There’s his boss, who Benjamín has harbored feelings for but has done little about; his assistant Sandavol, who is a drunk but seems to come through when it counts; Morales, the victim’s husband who can’t seem to overcome the death of his wife; and Isidoro Gómez, the suspected murderer reminiscent of characters from a Hitchcock movie. The film uses all the typical devices like infighting lawyers, corrupt superiors, faulty but loveable sidekicks, and more but manages to pull it off with enormous depth and complexity. As the story unfolds it begins to tie together the unfinished emotions between Benjamín and Irene and the murder case.
It’s a dark movie that spans many genres from film noir, murder mystery, suspense, to romance. There are themes of justice, love, loss, regret, memory, and passion. It is filled with vivid characters and very powerful scenes. The story unfolds slowly, but the payoff is great with a smart and haunting ending.
The Secret in Their Eyes is completely engaging. I tried to turn it off half way through because I had to get up early the next day, but I couldn’t help but watch the entire movie. It builds an eerie and haunting feeling that stays with you long afterward. It kind of reminded me of Mystic River and L.A. Confidential. It’s a very solid film and a good way to practice your Spanish. Check it out.