Secret in Their Eyes: Movie Review

“Secret in Their Eyes”, is a remake of Juan José Campanella’s 2009 Academy Award winner “The Secret in Their Eyes”. The new film from writer/director Billy Ray (“Breach”, “Shattered Glass”), boasts an impressive cast that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Michael Kelly, Dean Norris, and Alfred Molina. I have never seen the original, but I can only imagine it was nothing like its American remake because this thing is truly terrible.

In 2002, DA Investigator Jess Cobb’s (Roberts) life was shattered after her daughter was murdered. Cobb’s friend and partner FBI investigator Ray Kasten (Ejiofor) believes he found the killer (Joe Cole). However, because the suspect is also an informant that has been helping take down terrorist cells, the higher up’s deem him untouchable.

“Secret in Their Eyes” shifts back and forth thirteen years from 2002 to 2015 so rapidly that if it wasn’t for Dean Norris’s hair piece, it would take me a few minutes to figure out which year I was watching. Kidman’s character Claire, who happens to be Kasten and Cobb’s supervisor doesn’t add much to the story other than the attraction between her and Ray.

The cast is fine here but the writing and direction is so incredibly dull and lifeless. The only sequence I found myself mildly entertained by was an energetic chase through a crowded baseball stadium. The rest of “Secret in Their Eyes” is more like a challenge in trying to stay awake. I am a fan of criminal thrillers and we have had very few good once since the 90’s. I was hoping this one could have lived up to its’ potential.

By: Marc Ferman