Solid filmmaking, but not amazing

Rating: 6/10 (26 March 2014)

THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES is a solid crime film and the first feature I've watched from Argentina. The recipient of an Oscar for best foreign language film at the 2010 ceremony, this turns out to be a solid if unremarkable crime film in which a detective attempts to solve unanswered questions over an old case from the 1970s.
This is a solid and watchable film, but to be fair it's the kind of story that I've seen dozens of times previously. The script is literate and the characters well-drawn, but it lacks the spark required to make it truly engrossing. The plot is quite spaced out and limited given the length of the movie, leading to long sequences where not a great deal happens. In comparison to electrifying, action-packed thrillers like the French POINT BLANK or more plot-focused detective stories like the Swedish GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO trilogy, I have to say this is nothing special.
That's not that it's not worth watching - the acting is strong from the whole of the cast, particularly the leads playing the two prosecutors whose subtle romance is the emphasis of much of the running time. And there are some stand-out sequences here too, not least the pivotal moment involving Javier Godino's character. But it's not a film I would rush to watch again, it has to be said.