I will admit to having mixed feelings about Nicole Kidman. The actress has had some interesting roles in her varied career, but she’s only rarely proven herself to be more than just a pretty face. Her appearance in Stoker gave the lie to anyone who thinks she can’t act, but the ill-conceived Grace of Monaco showcased her ephemeral beauty and little else. Now, the actress is in talks to replace Gwyneth Paltrow in The Secret in Their Eyes, a remake of an Argentine thriller.
The Secret in Their Eyes tells the story of a retired attorney who turns back the clock on an unsolved case, seeking closure for it and his unrequited passion for his former superior. Writing a book about the case, he begins to uncover new and potentially damaging secrets about the past.
The original Argentine film was written and directed by Juan Jose Campanella and drew out issues of Argentina’s “Dirty War,” when unpunished criminality ran rampant. The remake will be directed by Billy Ray, the screenwriter behind Captain Phillips and The Hunger Games and director of Shattered Glass. Presumably this version will not have reference to Argentine politics, but one never knows.
If Nicole Kidman does join the cast, she will be upping the ante for a production that already has Chiwetel Ejiofor and Julia Roberts. Even without the rest of the cast confirmed, that’s a pretty star-heavy production.
We’ll keep an eye on casting and production developments for The Secret in Their Eyes and let you know when we hear anything new. For now, though, tell us, what do you think of Kidman joining the cast?
