The Padre (2018)
A cat-and-mouse crime drama set in Colombia, where a con man in a collar meets his match in a relentless retired judge.
The Padre - Movie Information
- Original Title: The Padre
- Release Year: 2018
- Directed by: Jonathan Sobol
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Age Rating (US): R
- Runtime: 1h 38m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English, Spanish
- Release Date (Theatrical): September 28, 2018
- Alternative Titles: האב (IL)
- Production Companies: Darius Films
- Production Countries: Canada
The Padre - Plot
American retired Judge Randall Nemes and his hired gun, Gaspar, track down a con man posing as a priest in a small Colombian town only to be thrown off-course by a scrappy 16-year-old girl intent on reuniting with her sister in the United States.
The Padre - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and see the hunt begin in the Colombian countryside:
Revenge has a price
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The Padre - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Jonathan Sobol
Main Cast
- Tim Roth
- Nick Nolte
- Luis Guzmán
- Valeria Emiliani
- Marie Paquim
- Hailey Hermida
- Benjamin Petersen
- Juana Arboleda
- Julio Pachón
- Nelson Camayo
Producers
- Nicholas Tabarrok
The Padre - FAQs
What is The Padre about?
The Padre follows a retired American judge and his enforcer as they hunt down a slippery con man who has been impersonating a priest in a small Colombian town. Their mission gets complicated when a determined 16-year-old girl crosses their path, desperate to reach her sister in the United States.
Is Tim Roth's con man character ever caught in The Padre?
The Padre keeps you guessing right up to the end. Tim Roth's charming, elusive con man proves remarkably hard to pin down, and the film's twists ensure the chase is never straightforward. The resolution is satisfying but earned through a series of unexpected turns rather than a simple capture.
Where can you stream or rent The Padre?
You can rent or buy The Padre on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It's widely available across digital platforms, so picking it up for a night in is pretty easy no matter which service you prefer.
What role does the teenage girl play in the story?
Lena, played by Valeria Emiliani, is the film's unexpected wild card. A scrappy, resourceful 16-year-old, she barges into the judge's manhunt with her own urgent agenda — reaching her sister in the US — and ends up reshaping the entire mission in ways nobody anticipated.
Who are the main actors in The Padre?
The Padre brings together a compelling trio at its core: Tim Roth as the wily con man posing as a priest, Nick Nolte as the gruff retired judge on his trail, and Luis Guzmán as Gaspar, the judge's hired gun. Valeria Emiliani rounds out the leads as the tenacious young Lena.
Is The Padre based on a true story?
No, The Padre is an original story written and directed by Jonathan Sobol. It's a fictional crime drama set in Colombia, though its themes of deception, justice, and unlikely alliances feel grounded in very real human dynamics. The Colombian setting adds an authentic texture to the invented narrative.
What is the age rating for The Padre?
The Padre is rated R, so it's intended for adult audiences. The rating reflects the film's mature themes, violence, and language — fitting for a gritty crime drama involving a hired gun, a con man, and a cross-border manhunt through Colombia.
What films are similar to The Padre?
If The Padre hits the spot, you might enjoy Father Stu (2022) for its faith-and-redemption angle, Hands of Stone (2016) for its Latin American setting and gritty drama, or Come Sunday (2018) for another character-driven story wrestling with moral conviction. Imperial Dreams (2014) also shares that raw, intimate dramatic energy.
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