"Details. It's all in the details."Fresh after the success of The Secret in Their Eyes, Ricardo Darin stars in another criminal suspense thriller that attempts to recreate that similar slow building atmosphere. Directed by Hernan Goldfrid, Thesis on a Homicide, begins with a lot of promise thanks in large part to Darin's charismatic performance as Roberto Bermudez, a criminal law specialist who is teaching a two month course to recent graduate lawyers. He has just published a well received book in the field as well and that is how we are introduced to his character. He is an intelligent and well respected man, but his work has affected his personal life as he lives on his own after a failed marriage. He takes a particular interest in one of his students who has come from Spain and whose parents he was a close friend of. His name is Gonzalo (Alberto Ammann) and he seems to fit a particular psychological profile that troubles Roberto. He feels like Gonzalo is one of those arrogant rich kids who wants to prove he can commit the perfect murder. When a murder takes place in the parking lot of the Faculty of Law, Roberto becomes obsessed to prove that Gonzalo is behind the crime. This obsession leads him to few hours of sleep and at the same time he ends up putting Laura's (Calu Rivero), the victim's sister, life at risk when he uses her as bait to reach Gonzalo. This obsession gradually makes Roberto lose his mind and it becomes an interesting psychological character study building on the suspense.The film opens with a lot of promise and I was engaged with Darin's performance. He is one of those few actors who can turn a weak script into an interesting and compelling movie. This isn't an intelligent thriller, but it works thanks to his lead performance. Unfortunately the build-up doesn't fulfill its promise because the ending feels forced. The film tries to be an intelligent thriller focusing on the law system, but it never really delves deep into the subject matter and everything is slightly touched upon. The thriller never feels like it could stand out on its own because it seems to borrow heavily from other films in the genre and you can't help but feel like you've seen this same plot in numerous other movies. The film does a good job at establishing the atmosphere during the first half of the film, but once the behavior of Roberto becomes overly obsessive it is apparent that each decision he makes is forced to move the story along. I felt like some of the liberties the director took with the character were too manipulative and out of character. The final fifteen minutes of the film are very disappointing in that way and everything seems rushed, which doesn't work at all in a film that took so much time to build the atmosphere in the first place. Calu Rivero delivers an interesting performance although there isn't much for her to do here. This is Darin's film and he makes the screenplay work to the best of his ability, but the rest of the characters are all underdeveloped. I couldn't help but feel that the cinematography was very pretentious at times. It looks good and has some interesting angles, but after a few minutes you realize there isn't much purpose to these shots other than to show off the director's talents. It becomes distracting at times and it really didn't add anything to the story. There are a couple of dream sequences that didn't work either, but I'm being a little to critical of this film because for the most part I was entertain and intrigued. The suspense works, but unfortunately the final payoff disappoints and you are left with that bittersweet taste in your mouth. When it comes to Argentinean cinema, Ricardo Darin is already involved in its most important films, but this isn't one I'd recommend. Skip this and watch The Secret in their Eyes or Nine Queens if you haven't had a chance to see Darin. He's a talented actor who has refused over the past decade to work in Hollywood, but if you've seen Argentinean films you probably have an idea of what a great actor he is. http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/

I can say, as an Argentinian, that this movie shows the great influence American cinema has all over the world. In this case it shows, together with "The Secret of his Eyes", the improvement in terms of camera uses and photography, always following the American prototype. Particularly I don't think this is a movie to be proud of, but it's not bad neither. It has a lack of emphasis in the plot and maybe needs to be more dynamic. I wouldn't take a side the fact that Argentinian movies are getting better and better leaving behind that decay they used to have. This movie, "9 Queens" and "The Secret of his Eyes" can prove my theory.

Roberto Bermudez, a university law professor, respected author, and penal code expert, is conducting a special class for advanced students. It will only be an eight weeks course. Bermudez is surprised to find among his students is Gonzalo, an enigmatic young man, the son of friends, now living in Europe. From the start, Gonzalo appears to be a defiant pupil, whose concern appears to be proving to Bermudez his own theory about the subject at the heart of this seminar. When a young woman is discovered in the university parking area, the whole class is instantly interested in the homicide. Bermudez, with his vast experience, believes the murder of the woman, who happens to be a waitress from a hang-out where most students spend time, realizes this homicide is the work of a psychopath. He begins his own investigation, trying to satisfy his own curiosity in discovering the assassin. His friendship with the police, helps him tie loose ends about the crime. It becomes obvious Gonzalo, a mysterious past, as well as his own interest in the case will bring the two men into a dangerous course of action.Directed with sure hand by Hernan Golfrid, whose "Musica en espera" this viewer admired, we looked forward for the new film with interest. The work is based on a novel by Diego Paszkowski, which, unfortunately we did not read, gets a great production under Mr. Golfrid's direction. The adaptation of the novel by Patricio Vega is the weakest element in the film, which gets an impeccable treatment by Mr. Goldfrid. Technically, this Argentine- Spanish co-production has nothing to envy from films of the genre.There are many unresolved issues in the story which lets the audience want for more. In reality, nothing is ever proved about who the real killer is, thus, the picture asks the viewer to get his own conclusion. There are hints of a deeper connection between the professor and his brilliant student, which is not really explored in more detail. And yet, the film involves us from the start. The complex character of Roberto by Ricardo Darin, probably the best actor working in movies today, gets an excellent performance. Roberto is probably the best mind in criminal law in the country. In his mind, he figures out who the killer is. Unknown to him, he is going against another brilliant mind, that of Gonzalo, who has returned to the country out of nowhere to give Roberto a run for his money.Basically, this is a showcase for actors. On the one hand, Ricardo Darin, and on the other, a less experienced, but equally sly, is the wonderful Alberto Ammann, a new face in the Argentine film scene. The two actors match each other in unexpected ways. Calu Rivero plays Laura, the sister of the slain victim of the crime, who gets thrown into the picture perhaps to help Roberto entrap the man he thinks is the one responsible for the crime. Rolo Pulpeiro, the cinematographer, captures the moody dark tones the director required to set the action. Sergio Moure contributed the incidental piano score that blends perfectly with the plot.

I read many reviews before seeing "Tesis...", some of which were talking about this film with Ricardo Darin was at the level of "The Secret in Their Eyes".Far from being a bad movie, we can say that is far from "The Secret in Their Eyes", perhaps one of the best productions of the Argentina film history.In "Tesis ...", the cinematography was maintained to the end. However, the Director forgot to give empathy and action to the story and he focused exclusively on achieving good levels to the camera, which in itself is very good for Argentine cinema, but does not help you achieve a good movie in the balance sheet.The lack of pace of the scenes, added to the "slow motion" soundtrack, with excesses in the silence of the main characters, made ​​a frame interesting in itself, become monotonous and boring.I repeat: it is not a bad movie, but it is too far from a "The Secret in Their Eyes".