Crime stories generally lay their focus on the cops pursuit of the bad guys, only hinting at the deeper issues of the characters when needed. The 2015 Billy Ray piece “Secret in Their Eyes” does the opposite – with powerful emotions drawn from the characters involved in the aftermath of a grisly murder, its much more complex than your average cop mystery.
Set at two points in time spaced 13 years apart, Raymond Kasten (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is seen in obsessive state as he searches through an incredible amount of inmate photos clearly looking for a specific person. We see glimpses of harrowing flashbacks to an event that clearly altered his life; 13 years ago, Raymond discovered the body of a young girl, bleached and left callously in a dumpster. The victim being the teenage daughter of fellow FBI Investigator and close personal friend Jessica Cobb (Julia Roberts).
Chiwetel Ejiofor is a powerful young actor and one that has great promise as we move forward in film. He holds the floor as a tough guy that can easily command a room, but his range of emotions are impeccable, demonstrated specifically with the scene in which he discovers the body. This guy is just as at home drawing from dramatic range as he is shooting at a bad guy in a gun fight.
The event itself had a disruptive impact on all parties involved. For Jessica Cobb, the obvious depression and isolation of losing her child has clearly got a stranglehold on her. For Raymond Kasten, its been an obsession with bringing the killer to justice.
“How did you find him?” Jessica asks at the early stages of the movie when Raymond locates a mugshot that he believes is that of the killers. “Inmate photos hacked online. 696,000 Caucasian males in the US prison system. You can cycle through the entire population in a year if you look at 1,906 faces a night and that’s what I did.” He delivers the line with such fervor you’ll want him on your side for anything. That he’s spent every night for the past 13 years doing this is a true testament to his relationship and respect for Cobb.
“Secret in Their Eyes” jumps back and forth between present day 2015 and the immediate aftermath of the murder in 2002, just a handful of months removed from 9/11. Seeing the changes in the characters is a thing of greatness. For Raymond its the graying in the beard and hair, complements of time and his 13 year obsession with finding the killer. For Claire Sloan (Nicole Kidman) its going from fledgling Assistant District Attorney to the top dog in the office. Jessica has become a shell of her former self, with grief and anger consuming her constantly. She’s described at one point as having aged a million years, and it looks it.
To get the case reopened, Raymond will need evidence that sticks, and he’s spent a dozen plus years in pursuit of such. In the wake of 9/11, the police were less concerned with the murder, focusing more effort on a potential terrorist cell in Los Angeles. Raymond’s devotion to Jessica sees him going against orders on multiple occasions. “They teach you some version of yes sir at the bureau?” His boss chastises after an early showing of insubordination.
Adding to the cast are a pair of great actors, Dean Norris (“Breaking Bad”) and Michael Kelly (“Criminal Minds”) – two great complimentary players that just look and act right at home slinging papers and sipping coffee at desks in an FBI office. Joe Cole is sinister in just a handful of scenes as the killer.
“Secret in Their Eyes” has a twist ending tats great, and one you may not see coming. It’s a good mystery movie that’s well acted and displayed with its two points in time. Its got strong emotion an all fronts and moves well from start to climactic finish.
by – Matt Christopher
