The Secret in Their Eyes 2010

In June 1974, judiciary agent Benjamín Espósito is pulled into a harrowing investigation of the brutal rape and murder of Liliana Colotto de Morales. Espósito makes a heartfelt promise to her husband, Ricardo, vowing to track down the killer and secure a life sentence. He receives assistance from his troubled, alcoholic partner, Pablo Sandoval, and the newly appointed chief, Irene Menéndez-Hastings. The investigation takes a dark turn when Espósito’s rival, Romano, wrongfully accuses two construction workers, one being a Bolivian immigrant, igniting Espósito’s fury upon discovering that both men were tortured into confessing.

Espósito stumbles upon a critical lead while sifting through photographs of Liliana handed over by Ricardo. Many images capture a man, identified as Isidoro Gómez, who seems to obsess over her. Espósito and Sandoval embark on a covert mission to Gómez’s mother’s house in Chivilcoy, where they find letters from him to his mother. Unfortunately, the raid results in empty-handedness as Sandoval pilfers the letters, further complicating their endeavors upon their return to Buenos Aires. A disastrous slip-up occurs when Ricardo inadvertently contacts Gómez’s mother in a fruitless attempt to locate his wife’s killer, leading to the closing of the case.

In 1975, Espósito crosses paths with Ricardo at a train station in Retiro and learns he has been searching for Gómez across numerous stations. Determined, Espósito persuades Irene to reopen the investigation. Meanwhile, Sandoval, during a drunken night out, uncovers a vital connection between names listed in the letters and players from Racing Football Club. Advancing the search, they attend a match between Racing and Huracán in hopes of spotting Gómez.

Their efforts pay off when they finally locate Gómez among the crowd, but chaos reigns with a sudden goal, enabling his escape. A frantic chase ensues, culminating in Gómez being apprehended by stadium security after attempting to storm the pitch. Coming together to interrogate him, Espósito and Irene resort to illegal methods, leveraging Gómez’s insecurities to extract a confession. Although he is convicted, disaster strikes a month later when Romano bails him out, seeking revenge against Espósito and employing Gómez as an assassin for a faction of the Peronist Party. Espósito and Irene strive to intervene but are thwarted by Romano’s machinations. Espósito must deliver the heart-wrenching news to Ricardo that his wife’s murderer will evade justice.

In the aftermath, Sandoval finds himself embroiled in a street brawl, prompting Espósito to take him home to fetch his wife. Upon their return, they are met with a horrifying scene: the door ajar, Sandoval’s photographs scattered, and Sandoval himself lying dead in his room. Espósito quickly deduces that Gómez and Romano sent hitmen after him. In a desperate bid to protect his friend, Sandoval had impersonated Espósito, resulting in his own demise. Fearing for his safety, Espósito retreats into hiding for a decade in Jujuy Province, finding solace with Irene’s relatives. Upon his return to Buenos Aires in 1985, he discovers that Gómez has vanished and Irene is now married with children.

Flash forward to 1999, Espósito is still grappling with the case and seeks out Ricardo, who has secluded himself in a rural cottage in Buenos Aires Province. A confrontation ensues when Espósito inquires about how Ricardo has dealt with the grief of his wife’s murder and the unsatisfying conclusion to the investigation. Ricardo spirals into rage as he confesses to having kidnapped and killed Gómez years prior. However, Espósito soon realizes Ricardo’s unyielding thirst for vengeance when he recalls Ricardo’s earlier desire for Gómez to endure a lasting punishment. Espósito stealthily returns to Ricardo’s residence, uncovering a shocking truth: Ricardo has kept Gómez imprisoned for 25 years, starving him of human interaction. In a poignant moment, Gómez desperately seeks contact, while Ricardo coldly reminds Espósito of his promise to deliver a “life sentence.”

Later, in Buenos Aires, Espósito visits Sandoval’s grave for the first time, lost in a mix of sorrow and reflection. He then heads to Irene’s office, fully prepared to express his long-held feelings for her, a sentiment she has anticipated. As a warm smile crosses her face, she softly urges him to close the door.