A Modern Classic of the Genre

Rating: 9/10 (9 August 2017)

Only the second Argentinian film to win the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, The Secret in Their Eyes is equal parts a slow-burning crime thriller and a forbidden love story that affects everyone involved for over a quarter of a century, following two separate timelines. In 1974, Judiciary employee Benjamín Espósito begins investigating the rape and murder of a young woman named Liliana Coloto. Assisting him in the investigation are his assistant Pablo Sandoval and his superior Irene Menéndez Hastings. Twenty-five years later, Espósito decides to use the case as the basis for his first novel, leading to a reunion with Hastings and the revelations that arise from discovering events that were set in motion twenty-five years prior. Although the majority of the film's runtime is devoted to the 1970s timeline, director Juan José Campanella, who also served as the film's co-writer and editor, finds a masterful balance between the two, crafting a non-linear narrative that provides a satisfying resolution to both threads.
Admittedly, the film takes a while to get going, with the initial back- and-forth between the two timelines feeling a bit jarring. However, as the story begins to unfold and we delve deeper into the investigation, the film simply captivates, as Campanella delivers an engrossing crime drama with an ending that left me breathless. I will say, however, that I found it difficult at times to keep up with the film's rapid-fire dialogue. Even though I speak Spanish myself, some of the film's dialogue-heavy scenes demand the full attention of the viewer. While I don't know how this problem might play out for someone watching the film with the English subtitles as they might be simplified, but it is a problem that I found worth noting.
The film's engrossing nature rests on the strengths of its performers, which include Ricardo Darín as Espósito, Guillermo Francella as Sandoval, and Soledad Villamil as Hastings. Darín does magnificent work in the lead role, expertly capturing Espósito's growing obsession in regards to the case. Francella, in his after first dramatic film role after an established career as a comedic performer, turns the alcoholic Sandoval into a fascinating character. Sandoval, whose relationship problems and drinking habits often conflict with his occupation, could have easily been a one-note stereotype, but Francella (who bears an uncanny similarity to Steve Carrell) manages to make him a likable character. Sandoval's friendship with Espósito leads to one of the film's most emotionally charged scenes. Villamil also delivers a mesmerizing performance. Much like the film's title implies, the eyes of these characters play an important role, serving as a method of non- verbal communication. And none of the other performers use their eyes to their advantage as much as Villamil does. Through her beautiful gaze, we see the complex relationship she forms with Espósito, whose eyes convey a buried, unspoken love for her.
The film also benefits from more than just Campanella's storytelling abilities. This is a marvelously well-composed film, one that takes full advantage of the cinematic medium. Each frame feels tightly constructed, with Campanella sometimes telling two different stories in the same frame or obfuscating characters behind chairs or piles of documents and folders. In regards to the latter, by framing his characters in such a way, Campanella subtly communicates the growing obsession that they feel as the investigation begins to unravel. The film's technical prowess doesn't end there though. The film contains an enthralling five-minute long take set in a soccer stadium that ends with Espósito and Sandoval chasing their primary suspect, one Isidoro Gómez (acted to chilling perfection by Javier Godino), on foot. Campanella isn't just concerned with ideas of obsession, however. The film's conclusion allows for it become a meditation on justice and to what ends someone will go to punish a guilty individual. And Pablo Rago, who plays the deceased's husband, shines in these scenes as he delivers a haunting performance.
Campanella's The Secret in Their Eyes is a thoroughly compelling film that benefits from a well-executed screenplay, skillful direction, and a host of strong performances. It's a shame that Hollywood couldn't resist the urge to remake the film years later with Billy Ray's Secret in Their Eyes, which ended up being a decidedly inferior production. Campanella's original, however, stands on its own as a modern classic.
Rating: 9/10 (Amazing)