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Secret in Their Eyes

Star-studded but misguided adaptation of an Oscar-winning classic

Star-studded but misguided English-language adaptation turns director Juan Jose Campanella’s 2010 Best Foreign Language Oscar-winning Secreta de sus ojos into a grim law & order procedural ineffectively transplanted from the turmoil of 1970s Argentina to the USA in the months just after 9/11.

This is an instantly forgettable, sluggishly paced potboiler in which the coincidences are many, the motivations questionable, and the climax laughable. None of this, however, is the fault of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman or Julia Roberts (a standout), and fans of the actors will not be disappointed.  Japanese title: Secret Eyes (111 min)