The Film
When a film's title suggests that there will be somewhat of a surprise, you're bound to get your hopes up - and all too often Hollywood films have a plot twist that is all but given away in the trailer, or is so obvious you see it coming a mile away. Fortunately The Secret in Their Eyes isn't a Hollywood film. This Argentinean film from Juan José Campanella was the 2009 Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film, and rightfully so.
It tells the story of an unresolved -- but far from unsolved -- rape and murder of a young teacher and newlywed. Ricardo Darín plays the court investigator who has grappled with this case for 25 years. In an interesting plot device, the sordid tale reveals itself in a series of flashbacks as Darín's character writes a novel about the case.
The Picture
While not the most visually stunning film, the Blu-ray -- the first Argentinean film released on Blu-ray, in fact -- really looks quite good, and it is a credit to the actors (and make up artists) in how the 25-year age difference of the characters was handled. The 1080p 2.35:1 presentation really captures the efforts that the filmmakers did in recreating two different time periods - the 1974 setting of the flashbacks, as well as the film's "present" in 1999 - and both really come to life. As suggested by the title there is more than meets the eyes, and fortunately a lot to see in the film that looks quite good.
The Sound
A dialog heavy film that is presented in 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio in the native Spanish, as well as French, there isn't a lot in the way of audio cues. The music is well balanced with the dialog, and the ambient sounds are decent, but this is hardly a reference caliber disc. In fact, the audio is almost secondary and really is presented as somewhat of an afterthought.
The Extras
As far as bonus materials go this one could be said to be the most feature-packed Blu-ray of a film from Argentina, but that's not saying very much. There's a behind the scenes featurette, which is mildly interesting, and commentary from writer/director Juan José Campanella. Maybe there is a secret we missed?
Final Thoughts
As with many films that have a big buildup to a reveal, The Secret in Their Eyes offers a compelling plot, is well written and acted, and is interesting to watch for the first time, but doesn't offer much for repeated viewings or further study. The film looks great, has a solid story but the sub-par sound and lack of notable bonus materials make this a secret that may be better shared (i.e. rented) than kept.
Product Details
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