El secreto de sus ojos – The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)

Directed by: Juan Jose Campanella | 127 minutes | drama, thriller | Actors: Ricardo Darín, Soledad Villamil, Pablo Rago, Javier Godino, Guillermo Francella, José Luis Gioia, Carla Quevedo, Rudy Romano, Mario Alarcón, Alejandro Abelenda, Sebastián Blanco, Mariano Argento, Juan José Ortíz, Kiko Cerone, Fernando Pardo

Benjamin Esposito (Ricardo Darin) was an investigating judge in Argentina. He hasn’t had much to do since his recent retirement. He wants to write a book about a brutal rape and murder of a beautiful young woman that took place some twenty-five years earlier. He was intensively involved in that case, but he was never able to solve it. The issue is running through his head. Benjamin needs the file and goes to the judicial authorities. There he meets Irene Menendez Hastings (Soledad Villamil). Irene is his former supervisor and now holds a senior position. He hasn’t seen Irene for about twenty years, he was deeply in love with her a long time ago. Initially the atmosphere is relaxed, old memories are retrieved. Benjamin and Irene tease each other good-naturedly about how much they have both changed and aged. The mood changes when he asks her about the file and reveals the reason for it. The whole matter is clearly very sensitive and there are apparently many reasons for not making the data available.

After the murder of the young woman, Benjamin was struck by the unfathomable grief of her husband Ricardo Morales (Pablo Rago). The police benefit from a smooth settlement and want to have the perpetrators confessed as soon as possible. False practices are not shunned here, ‘perpetrators’ are arrested and ‘confessed’. Benjamin and his colleague Sandoval (Guillermo Francella) make enemies when these false methods are exposed. Those ‘perpetrators’ must be released. During the period of the investigation, the situation in Argentina changes dramatically. The military stage a coup d’état and the military junta rules inexorably and ruthlessly. The situation also becomes life-threatening for Benjamin. His research threatens to drag him more and more into the maelstrom of violence, lawlessness and oppression during the military regime. For those reasons, he had to let the matter rest and it was never resolved.

The film story constantly jumps back and forth in time. While writing his book, Benjamin sees more and more memories from that time and realizes that he can’t stop. He is completely obsessed with the case and goes back to investigate. This research is also a journey through its own history from the time of the junta. Can he still resolve this matter now that so much time has passed and so much obstruction is still being committed? The scenario is extremely ingenious and harmoniously balanced. The plot, which unfolds slowly but carefully, is on the one hand a restrained, subtle and magnificent psychological drama, but at the same time a penetrating account of a dark period in recent Argentine history. The many flashbacks are never disturbing and the story is sublimely put together like a jigsaw puzzle of thousands of pieces, while at the same time a soulful love story is incorporated. The denouement is exciting and kept hidden until the very end. ‘El secreto de sus ojos’ is a thriller, drama and romance in one. The acting of all the actors is energetic and powerful and highly credible and convincing. The camera work is of a high standard and creates a special atmosphere, while the musical support makes a strong contribution.

‘El secreto de sus ojos’ won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2010. You can determine for yourself whether this valuation is justified. A masterly film with a superior screenplay and magnificent game. direct hit!