Review of The Secret in Their Eyes

The Secret in Their Eyes is a masterfully crafted film about some very big ideas, namely about the value of human life, how we measure that value, who determines that value, and how it is best fulfilled. Of course we are not beat over the head with this message, nor does the director make obvious statements regarding his position (because as I said, it's MASTERFULLY crafted) but when we find ourselves moved by this film (and you truly will, over and over again) it usually has to do with this theme. We are presented with two different but not seperate story archs that take place in Argentina at two different times (1974 and 2000-ish). One story follows the brutal, unsolved rape/murder of a 23 year-old woman, her investigation, and the grief of her adoring and devoted widower. The other, and ultimately central, story is a love story that deals with the unfufilled romance between an accomplished, albeit young, judge and an integritous investigator assigned to the aforemention murder case. Twenty-five years later, now retired, he is compelled to write a novel about the case, but in order to do so must once again sift through so many unanswered questions. This movie covers incredible amounts of ground emotionally (not to mention temporally) with such seemingly impossible efficiency. Moments of pure hilarity are cozied up next to scenes of tragedy and achingly vivid brutality, which are weaved seemlessly through moments of unadulterated heartache, which then give way to a beckoning potential for profound transformation and happiness. Doors are closed and opened, closed and opened--on camera, in the hearts of the characters, and in our minds as we try to guess at the answers to the murder case. This movie is so different from anything I've seen in long time and so much is handled so well in this film that I can't even begin to give it the recommendation I'd like to here. It truly deserves a thoughtful audience so please, reader include yourself among them.