The Secret in Their Eyes

I have to see any film that won as the best foreign film for the year. It was a surprising choice. Half way through the film I realized that I was familiar with the characters and the story. I had seen it previously at a screening over a year ago. I certainly didn’t mind seeing it again.

This Argentinean film is a thriller and leads to many surprising actions. I thought that Ricardo Darin was superb as the former police investigator, Benjamin Esposito. He is handsome in a rugged way and he always looks so sad. His eyes are heavy. He is plagued by an unsolved murder of over 20 years. The young woman was brutally raped and murdered and the case was closed. Esposito wants to write a novel based on this story.

He goes to visit his former boss Irene who is now working in the same courthouse he used to frequent.

We are not sure of the former relationship between Irene and Benjamin. There are hints of a past relationship. There is obviously respect between them and much affection.

The movie moves between the past when the murder occurred and the present time. Irene and Benjamin solve the murder.

There are some fast paced scenes when the murderer is chased and he is exposed (literally) as the murderer. Apparently that scene alone took a year to plan and several months to execute. It was amazing.

Politics creeps into the story when the murderer is let off for giving information on political prisoners.

You never are sure which way the story will go. Is it a story of past romance? Is it a police story about solving a murder? Is it a political story about corrupt cases that allow a murderer to go free?

The last half hour of the film takes you on an unexpected emotional journey. . I enjoyed listening to people discussing the film as they left the theatre. Most were somewhat negative as to the quality of the picture.

The story will keep you interested. You will certainly want to discuss your interpretation. I always enjoy listening to the Spanish (English sub-titles) This is a good picture but I’m not sure it was the best foreign film of the year.