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Only a few days ago, I reviewed Memories of Murders, the classic Korean investigative crime thriller based on a real incident. In this post, we will look at The Secret in Their Eyes (TSITE), an Argentine movie based on Eduardo Sacheri’s novel La pregunta de sus ojos. Brilliantly directed by Juan José Campanella, this film won the Best Foreign Language Film award at the 82nd Academy Awards.

The plot begins in 1999 with Benjamín Espósito (Ricardo Darín), a former legal counselor who decides to write a novel based on an unsolved case he investigated decades earlier. He returns to his former workplace to find that his old boss and head of the department, Irene Menéndez Hastings (Soledad Villamil), is now a judge.

The story unfolds through flashbacks and conversations. It is revealed that Irene, Espósito, and his partner, Pablo Sandoval, investigated the brutal assault and murder of a young woman named Liliana Colotto.

While reviewing Liliana’s photos with her grieving husband, Ricardo Morales (Pablo Rago), Espósito notices a man named Isidoro Gómez (Javier Godino) in the pictures, staring at Liliana with a disturbing fascination.

Espósito and Pablo begin investigating Gómez, but their efforts are thwarted by unforeseen setbacks, leading to the case being closed. A year later, Espósito discovers that Ricardo has been trying to track down Gómez on his own.

Despite his struggles with alcoholism, Pablo possesses remarkable deductive skills. Using his insights, Espósito and Pablo locate Gómez at a soccer game, and he is soon taken into custody.

Just as Espósito and Irene extract a confession from the sadistic Gómez, fate intervenes in the form of Espósito’s adversary, who forces them to release Gómez. To their horror, the killer walks free. Espósito is left with the heartbreaking task of informing Ricardo that Gómez will never face justice.

In the present, Espósito realizes that he still has unresolved matters to address—one concerning the case and the other involving his lingering feelings for Irene.

While TSITE and Memories of Murder differ significantly in plot, atmosphere, and setting, they share some thematic similarities worth exploring.

One shared theme is that the investigation of a crime often involves much more than solving the crime itself. This holds true regardless of where the crimes or their investigations take place. Investigators face not only the challenges of their profession but also external obstacles. In Memories of Murder, these challenges include the detectives’ inexperience, team dynamics, lack of advanced tools, and insufficient manpower.

In TSITE, Espósito and his colleagues must navigate a complex web of bureaucracy, political interference, and personal vendettas from one of Espósito’s peers, who actively works to derail the investigation. Adding to this complexity is Espósito’s unresolved romantic tension with Irene.

If you haven’t watched this movie or Memories of Murder, I strongly recommend viewing them in succession. For readers who enjoy thought-provoking cinema, these films provide valuable insights into how criminal investigations are conducted in different parts of the world. They also highlight the emotional and psychological toll on both the investigators and the victims’ families.

Finally, TSITE delivers a poignant message: even when one believes the past is behind them, there may still be unresolved chapters waiting to be completed.

This is another must-see film for thriller enthusiasts. It is masterfully directed, features an engrossing screenplay, stunning cinematography, and boasts a stellar cast.