The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)

Director: Juan José Campanella
Stars: Ricardo Darin, Soledad Villamil, Pablo Rago
Runtime: 129 minutes

Synopsis: A retired legal counselor writes a novel hoping to find closure for one of his past unresolved homicide cases and for his unreciprocated love with his superior - both of which still haunt him decades later.

Performances: 9/10
Screenplay: 9/10
Costumes/Makeup: 7/10
Editing: 8/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 10/10

Verdict: Winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Academy Awards, "The Secret in Their Eyes", also known as "El Secreto de sus Ojos" in its home country of Argentina, is a masterful thriller worthy of all its recognition.

Directed by Juan José Campanella, who also co-wrote the script with Eduardo Sacheri, the author of the novel it was based on, the movie follows a trio of counselors set on solving a murder case that has been haunting them for years.

Led by an exceptional Ricardo Darin, the film's strongest asset, however, is its ability to juggle between mystery, thriller, romance, and even horror without ever feeling overwhelming. The range of emotions felt by both the characters and viewers alike is vast, almost making the movie itself a character of its own. The script, while being the driving force of the thriller, wouldn't have worked as well as it did without Félix Monti's camera work and especially Frederico Jusid's gorgeous and perfectly used score.

I don't have many issues with "The Secret in Their Eyes" apart maybe some dull moments that nevertheless felt necessary to the narrative and a few hiccups in the makeup used to age some of the characters, probably due to the film's tight budget. I obviously strongly recommend Campanella's adaptation (and not its 2015 remake starring Nicole Kidman and Julia Robert) to all you mystery lovers out there. It'll certainly keep you invested for its entire 2 hour runtime. 

FINAL GRADE: 8.5/10