The Secret in Their Eyes is an incredible crime drama that relies less on flashy effects and action sequences than it does on its rich story, which doubles back on itself in ways both big and subtle. It also explores issues of memory, specifically how certain events in our lives can change them forever and how obsessions with these events can prevent us from letting go of our past and moving on.
The film begins with Benjamín Espósito (Ricardo Darín), a former Argentinian federal justice agent. He has recently retired and decided to write a novel in his spare time but he is having trouble finding a place to start. His first attempt, depicted onscreen, involves a man and woman in a train station. The man is boarding and the woman, left behind, chases the departing train. Save for a few details — a close-up of a pair of eyes and their hands meeting with a window in between — the scene is vague with stiff motions and blurred backgrounds, as if the significance is struggling to reach the surface and give what appears to be a touching moment some genuine meaning. Benjamin returns to the screen and crosses out what he has written. A new idea comes to mind, this one much clearer and disturbingly genuine: a woman shouting and crying as she is raped. It is a short scene, but long enough to be uncomfortable. We return once again to Benjamin, and it’s clear that that isn’t where he wants to start his novel either, but this event has true meaning for him. It is a perfect way to start the film since it establishes two key ideas that will drive the film’s narrative: the first being the details of the rape and its subsequent investigation; and second, the confluence of memory and obsession.
Benjamin returns to his old office and runs into Irene (Soledad Villamil), his former superior. They seem happy to see each other and there are intimations of a former relationship. He tells her that he intends to write about an old case and that he would like her help. As the film progresses, she reads his drafts, they reflect on old times, go for coffee, and exchange long glances. Their relationship seems fresh but something is lost. Or maybe shadows of the past are still lingering in the present.
The bulk of the story, however, concerns the events of Benjamin’s novel and is told through flashbacks. Benjamin is called to a crime scene where he finds the dead body of Lilliana Colotto, the aforementioned rape victim. The aftermath of the rape is almost as unsettling. The woman’s husband, Ricardo Morales, is shocked. He demands justice and may even know who the murderer was. Benjamin, along with his partner Pablo Sandoval (Guillermo Francella) and Irene, attempt to track down the suspect, who seems to have disappeared completely.
At this point, I think it is necessary for me to refrain from revealing anymore significant plot points. After all, this film is a crime drama at its core and it is great fun to let it lead you through its twists and turns. It is also key to mention that director Juan José Campanella has some experience working in this mode, as well; he has directed seventeen episodes of “Law & Order: SVU” as well as two episodes of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.” This is not to say that the film is derivative in any way, but rather to say that Campanella is very capable of handling material in this genre. There is a chase sequence in particular that is incredible in its orchestration and execution, no less because it is largely one long, unbroken shot.
The film also deserves credit for its incredible performances. Darín and Villamil are wonderful as the leads due to a very natural chemistry, but the secondary players also hold the story together very nicely. Pablo Rago is excellent as the broken, widowed husband, Ricardo Morales, who spends much of his time sitting solemnly at the train station hoping to run into the man that killed his wife. The key performance, however, is Guillermo Francella as Benjamin’s alcoholic partner, Pablo. Francella, I learned, is a well-known film, stage, and television personality in Argentina, mostly known for his comedic work. The Secret in Their Eyes gives him a chance to showcase his dramatic side while also providing an appropriate level of comic relief.
The Secret in Their Eyes won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film earlier this year and it is a well-deserved honor. I am, admittedly, not very up-to-date on the Hollywood summer movie season but I can assure you that this is the best film in Champaign-Urbana right now. See it.
The Secret in Their Eyes is playing this week and next week at the C-U Art Theater. Check the website for showtimes. Watch the trailer below: