El secreto de sus ojos

English title: The Secret in Their Eyes

Genre: psychological drama

Director: Juan José Campanella

Release: 2009

Studio: Tornasol Films, Haddock Films, 100 Bares et al.

Rating: 18A

MBiS score: 8.8/10

The Case and the Woman He Couldn’t Forget

Having recently retired from his job as a courthouse clerk, Benjamin Esposito (Ricardo Darín) begins writing a novel about an unsolved rape and murder case he worked on 25 years before. Such a task won’t be easy for him since it rekindles painful memories about the case and his pent-up passion for a former boss, the competent and beautiful Irene Menéndez Hastings (Soledad Villamil). With Carla Quevedo (Liliana Coloto, the murder victim), Guillermo Francella (Pablo Sandoval, Benjamin’s co-worker and friend), Mariano Argento (Romano), Pablo Rago (Ricardo Morales, Liliana’s husband), Javier Godino (Isidoro Gὁmez) and José Luis Gioia (Inspector Báez).

Once in a while, you catch a movie so striking, so brilliant and so different in some respect that it hits you like a ton of bricks. From the outset, I had very modest expectations about El secreto de sus ojos but this Argentinian sleeper won me over in a matter of minutes. On an emotional level, you might say it packs the same kind of punch as Z, that great political thriller I reviewed some time ago. Juan José Campanella’s film has everything one can hope for: charismatic leads you'll root for, a robust and captivating screenplay that doesn’t lose you despite frequent flashbacks, masterful direction and acting, attractive visuals, a healthy dose of humour and romance, a simple yet elegant score and also a powerful payoff. At some point, it even waxes philosophical with its thoughtful reflections on days gone by, opportunities lost and aching regrets.  

This tough, mature and mesmerizing Oscar winner deserves one of my higher marks… and so be it. As Ricardo Morales would say, ‟Memories are all we end up with. At least pick the nice ones.”

MBiS

  

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