Rest In Peace (Descansar en paz) follows the life of a man named Sergio, who fakes his death for the sake of his family. The film is now streaming on Netflix.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary
In 1994, Sergio Dayán and his wife, Estela, live in Buenos Aires with their two children, Florencia and Mati. Sergio has kept Estela in the dark about the fact that his business has been struggling.
However, he is forced to reveal his numerous debts to her when Hugo Brenner, a dangerous man from whom Sergio has borrowed money, sends his thug to Florencia’s bat mitzvah.
Sergio sells their house in the country, but the money he receives is not enough to repay his debts, pay his employees, and support his family.
Despite his efforts, Sergio fails to convince Brenner, who is now threatening to hurt Sergio’s family, to grant him more time to repay his debt.
The stress takes a toll on Sergio’s health, leading him to think about how his family would benefit from his life insurance if he were to pass away.
One day, on his way to repay Brenner a portion of what he owes, Sergio gets caught in an explosion that claims many lives.
Sergio’s body is not found, but the police discover his briefcase. For months, Estela waits for her husband’s return, clinging to hope that he may still be alive.
Brenner’s sister also dies in the explosion. When Brenner visits the courthouse to identify her, he learns of Sergio’s disappearance when he sees Estela there.
Eventually, Estela gives up hope and accepts the fact that Sergio is dead. She claims the life insurance policy and settles all his debts.
She even contacts Brenner to repay him, but he refuses to accept any payment because he believes that the debt belongs to Sergio, not Estela.
The meeting with Estela leaves a lasting impression on Brenner, who begins to value her opinion of him. With time, the two become friends and then start dating.
It is revealed that Sergio did not die in the explosion; he was injured and taken to the hospital. He even attempted to contact Estela.
However, he changed his mind later and decided to leave the country, faking his death to protect his family.
He moves to Paraguay and changes his name to Nicolás. He gets a job at an electronics store owned by a married couple, Ilu and Gordo.
Ilu and Gordo help him get a Paraguayan ID and warmly welcome him into their home during festivals. Sergio confides in Ilu about missing his family.
Soon after, Gordo passes away, and Sergio steps in to help Ilu manage the store and care for her son. While Sergio starts sleeping with Ilu, he never falls in love with her.
Similarly, Brenner becomes a father figure to Sergio’s children. He eventually marries Estela and has a daughter with her.
However, even fifteen years after leaving his family, Sergio struggles to move on and find happiness. He still yearns to see his family once again.
Ending explained:
Sergio’s decision to return home
One day, Sergio goes to the market and runs into Beatriz, who used to work for Sergio and Estela back in Argentina.
While Sergio convinces her not to tell his family about him being alive, he himself cannot stop thinking about his children.
He comes across Florencia’s Facebook profile when he looks her up and finds out that she is getting married.
Ilu, who knows about Sergio’s wife despite his silence about his past, catches on that Sergio is struggling with something.
She tells him to do whatever it takes to get rid of the burden he has been carrying for the past fifteen years.
Later, Sergio comes across a video of Florencia expressing her desire for her father to witness her wedding.
Adding to his sorrow, the dog he had adopted in Paraguay also passes away. The dog was the only one easing his loneliness.
Losing the dog becomes the final push Sergio needs to reunite with his family. After bidding farewell to Ilu, Sergio packs his bags and returns to Argentina.
The man in Sergio’s place
In Argentina, Brenner loves Florencia and Mati as if they were his own children. Mati even works for Brenner, who is currently being threatened by someone.
Sergio finds his children but observes them from a distance, never approaching them. He also watches Estela, unaware that she is now married to Brenner.
Sergio, realizing that his family has moved on without him, decides to end his life after Florencia’s wedding. To do that, he gets a gun.
However, at the wedding, he discovers that Brenner has taken his place in the family, which enrages him.
An infuriated Sergio leaves the venue and tries to take his own life. When he fails, he decides to kill Brenner in his anger.
Sergio’s death
Sergio returns to the wedding and waits for Brenner in the restroom. Eventually, Brenner arrives, and Sergio prepares to shoot him.
However, Mati’s sudden appearance interrupts him. Sergio overhears Brenner advising Mati not to work with him due to Estela’s objections.
Sergio realizes that Brenner truly cares for his family. He himself is no longer a part of his family, and Brenner is the one they love.
Sergio decides not to kill Brenner. Instead, he gets drunk, wears a mask, and takes to the dance floor to be closer to his family.
Despite the mask, Estela recognizes Sergio, resulting in him leaving. Mati, seeing Sergio, mistakes him for the people threatening Brenner.
Estela follows Sergio out and so does Brenner, who has been told by Mati that Sergio has been keeping an eye on their family.
Estela and Sergio finally come face to face, and Sergio asks for her forgiveness. Sergio notices Brenner there and raises his gun, only for Brenner to shoot him first.
Estela holds Sergio as he draws his last breath. He dies, thinking about how his daughter is still wearing the necklace he gifted her on her bat mitzvah.
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