From Deep In The Cold Case Files-Nicole Kidman’s “Secrets In Their Eyes” (2014)-A Film Review  

DVD Review

By Sam Lowell

Secrets In Their Eyes, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, 2014    

Stories about “cold cases,” usually cold murder cases never solved have a certain fascination. Certainly the genre has found a niche on television and as here with the remake of a film originally out of Argentina Secret In Their Eyes in cinema. This one as usual takes on the story line of a police procedural and how with persistence the case is finally wrapped up. There is an interesting interplay between Ray, now working as private security contractor but formerly an FBI agent, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Claire formerly a star Assistant D.A. now a budding D.A. and Jess, now and then an investigator in the Los Angeles D.A’s office, played by Julia Roberts. They are bonded by a case that had been “closed” for some thirteen years.        

Here’s the pitch. Jess’ daughter and light of her life was murdered and thrown in a dumpster but back then the prime suspect was let go for lack of evidence and the fact that he was a snitch at a mosque during the height of the war on terrorism in the aftermath of 9/11. They felt they had him dead to rights with a photograph taken at an office picnic with this guy, Marzin, looking intensely at her daughter but like I sadi he walked even after his tangled with Claire. Ray, who had vowed to never stop trying to find the killer, thirteen years later comes up with a clue which he feels will solve the case finally and give Jess some solace. Jess had become totally distraught over her lost although she was cool to the idea of re-opening the case. Ray keeps thinking he has this guy Marzin but each time he comes up empty. See Jess knows something that neither Ray nor Claire know about the fate of Marzin. See the film to see what she knows. Oh yeah there was a little case “love” interest between Ray , a black man and Claire as Waspy white woman which did not go anywhere back in the day but seemed to have matured a bit thirteen years later. But the key here is Jess so keep your eye on the bouncing ball.