The Secret in Their Eyes

We finally caught up with last year's winner of the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, the Argentinian film, The Secret in Their Eyes. It's part murder mystery, part political intrigue, part love story and part meditation on memory. But it was certainly wholly enjoyable. And considering this diverse range of composite layers, not to mention its flitting between the 1970s and the "present day", it's put together brilliantly. The two lead actors really help, juggling both the past and (tentative) present relationships of their characters. Highly recommended.

One aspect I thought might feature a little more prominently was Argentina's descent into the Dirty War that began in late 1970s. While this is still pivotal to the plot, indeed it largely divides the past and present sections, it wasn't dwelt on as much as I'd thought it would be. Still, with such a tight and multi-faceted film, it would probably have been a mistake to get too heavy on this part of Argentina's history.

Anyway, I'll be surprised if a US remake doesn't appear at some point. Given political sensitivities, it'll be interesting to see if it retains the setting ...