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This 2009 Argentinean film won this year Oscar award for Best Foreign Picture. The movie is set in 1999 when a retired Argentinean federal justice agent is about to write a novel about one of his old closed murder cases that happened more than 20 years ago. His reason behind writing this novel is not necessary ‘historical’ accuracy but mainly trying to find closure about this case that shook him to the core and changed his life forever.
The story is told as a flashback showing the murder case and the following events that happened in the early 70’s. This movie is not only is a very good drama/ detective film with a small romantic story among the main characters, but in addition shows in a light way some of the events that happened during the infamous 70’s in Argentina during the ‘Dictadura Militar’ (Militar Dictatorship) right after General Peron fled the country and his second wife ‘Isabel’ (AKA ‘Isabelita’ Peron) became President of the country (don’t confuse her with Evita – Don’t cry for me Argentina, who was General Peron’s first wife and died of cancer at age 33) . She was never President rather than beloved/ hated first lady.
Directed by Juan Jose Campanella - who also co-wrote the story - this film has a couple of the finest actors of my home country.
The character of ‘Benjamin Esposito’ - retired federal justice officer and main character of this movie is played by Ricardo Darin a fine and versatile actor who has done a very successful career playing characters in television, movies and theater not only in Argentina but also overseas. If you haven’t seen him before I suggest you to catch him also in ‘The Son of the Bride’ (also directed by Juan Jose Campanella) and ‘Nine Queens’, two very good movies that I’m planning to review in the future (both available w/ English subtitles).
I’m must confessed that Ricardo’s job did not surprised me at all, after all he is a fine actor and he did a fine job. I got from him what was ‘expected’ from an actor of his caliber. Side Note: Ricardo refused to attend the OSCARS ceremony (for ‘Cabbala’) because last time and Argentinean movie was nominated ‘Nine Queens’ (he was in the movie as well) he went to the ceremony and ‘we’ didn’t win. This time, he did not want to ‘jinx’ it !!!
In the other hand Guillermo Francella’s work blew my mind not only because I was not expecting see him with almost white hair and thick ‘dork’ style glasses but also because of the power of this character and the fine way he portrait it.
Guillermo plays the character of ‘Pablo Sandoval’ or simply ‘Sandoval’ how his coworkers call him. His character, the administrative assistant of ‘Benjamin Esposito’ (our main character), suffers from drinking problems (big time), a wife that wants to live him (because of his drinking problems) and mainly because he is a poor ‘nobody’ that works in a dead end job within the Federal Judicial system. Later in the movie, ‘Sandoval’ will probe that despite the fact that he cannot hold his drinking he has a bright and sharp mind that pretty much helps to crack the murder case.
A side joke that you will miss if you are not from Argentina, in the movie ‘Sandoval’ talks about some of the star players (from old times) of Racing Club. In real life Guillermo Francella (the actor) is a HUGE fan of Racing Club (A.K.A. ‘La Academia’), a second class football (soccer) team from Argentina that is more famous for the ‘passion’ of its fans than for bringing championships home.
You must understand my obsession with Guillermo, he is not a dramatic actor, and as a matter of fact he has done his career as a comic actor doing more ‘family sitcoms’ than serious movies. Don’t get me wrong, in Argentina we love him to death, is just that I didn’t think of him in ‘this way’. Side Note: Guillermo DID go to the OSCARS ceremony (he said he was not going to miss it for anything in the world), and he said the coolest thing it was to be near the directors Pedro Almodovar & Quentin Tarantino who were responsible for delivering the Oscar for Best Foreign Film to them.
You can find ‘The Secret in their Eyes’ in the movie carts and DVD shops around Shanghai, I saw it the movie here a few months back. Enjoy.
P.S. I don’t want to spoil it, but the ending of the movie is definitely not what you will expect.
Comments
I absolutely love foreign films and welcome any recommendations.
In fact, I think I'll have a DVD night when I move into my new apartment in a couple of weeks. Foreign film lovers watch this space!