When you’re a bad businessman and neck-deep in debt, run! I wonder if any Indian director would take the step to make a documentary on the Vijay Mallyas and Nirav Modis, but Argentinian director Sebastián Borensztein’s Rest in Peace is a crafty take on fugitives.
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens In The Movie?
Sergio Dayán is a businessman with a family he cherishes. Sergio’s young son idolizes him, and his daughter confesses how he’s the only person she relies on at her bat mitzvah. Things aren’t as sunny and rosey as they seem; Sergio owes money to everyone around him. Sergio’s workers in the factory haven’t gotten paid in months, and he’s been threatened by them. A bigshot money lender has given an ultimatum to Sergio. Sergio’s financial conditions have hit such a low that he’s even unable to pay the tuition fees for his daughter. Sergio finds himself in the middle of an explosion and decides to use this opportunity to run away from the country.
How Does Sergio Escape From Argentina?
Sergio sells his country house to repay some of his loans to Hugo Brenner. On his way, Sergio finds himself in the middle of an explosion. This is possibly a reference to the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires. Sergio is lucky to survive the incident, and he wakes up with a head injury. He recovers quickly and makes the decision to leave Argentina, thinking he’d be presumed dead and his family would get enough money to pay the debts. Sergio hops on a boat and illegally crosses the border to enter Paraguay.
What Does Estela Do After Sergio’s Disappearance?
Estela finds out that Sergio was nearby during the AMIA bombing. She runs to the spot to see if anything has happened to him, but she doesn’t find anything. The police call her up to check if she can find Sergio among the unidentified bodies, but she doesn’t find him. Estela finally verifies Sergio’s briefcase, and his being dead starts to look like a valid possibility. Estela is in denial that her husband is dead because his body hasn’t been found yet. After days in denial, Estela’s brother Diego finally convinces her to accept Sergio’s death. She gets the money from the insurance company and pays everyone back. She finally goes to Brenner to return him the money, but Brenner refuses to take it. Brenner thinks that his business was with Sergio, and his wife had nothing to do with it. Brenner respectfully denies causing Estela any further trouble.
How Does Sergio Start Over In Paraguay?
Sergio manages to find himself a job in an electronics store. His hardworking nature earned him a good reputation with the store’s owner, El Gordo. El Gordo trusts Sergio, who goes by the name Nicolas in Paraguay. El Gordo’s wife, Ilu, welcomes Sergio into their family. When El Gordo asks Sergio to make a delivery to Brazil, he finds out that he doesn’t possess any official ID and can’t travel to another country. Sergio is alone in Paraguay; a sketch made by his son Mati hangs in his awful, lonely room. He celebrates Mati’s birthday alone; he has just turned 7. It’s heartbreaking that a father has to live without a son who looks up to him. Sergio gets invited to El Gordo’s house for Christmas. Ilu gave Sergio his new documents and ID, and he’s officially a citizen of Paraguay now. The celebrations stop when El Gordo, dressed up as Santa, collapses on the ground. El Gordo unfortunately passes away, and Sergio offers to run the store, and Ilu accepts it.
How’s Sergio’s Life After 15 Years In Paraguay?
Sergio had adopted a dog he never named and continued to work in El Gordo’s store. El Gordo’s wife, Ilu, has taken over the store. Ilu was kind to Sergio when her husband was alive, and her affection for him only grew after El Gordo’s death. Sergio and Ilu sleep together, but he never lets their relationship go beyond that. He never stays over at Ilu’s and comes home to take care of his old dog, whom he hasn’t named in 15 years. Sergio’s longing for his son and family won’t perish. Sergio gets back into his old life through Facebook. He learns that he can see his daughter Florencia through Facebook, but he doesn’t know the platform too well. Sergio earnestly learns about Facebook from a younger employee at the store, and he finally can see his daughter. While scrolling through Facebook, Sergio’s emotions are all over the place. The little girl he had to leave behind had grown up to be an architect. His beloved son Mati, too, is a tall young man in the pictures. Overwhelmed by the time he has missed with them, Sergio decides to go back to Argentina. Ilu bids goodbye to him as old Sergio returns to his motherland.
What Does Sergio Find Out Upon His Return?
Sergio starts to stalk his daughter and son. He puts on sunglasses to hide his eyes, as the rest of his face is nothing but a beard. Sergio’s longing to talk with them only increases with time, but he keeps his distance and just observes his children. Florencia, Sergio’s daughter, is about to be married. Meanwhile, Estela had married Brenner, and Brenner raised Florencia and Mati just like his own. Sergio’s world comes crashing down when he sees Brenner walking Florencia down the aisle at her wedding, and he leaves the church with disbelief and rage.
What Happens To Sergio After The Revelation?
The man who once threatened to kill Sergio’s family has made the family his own. Sergio couldn’t believe what he saw, and he plotted revenge. He dresses up and goes to Florencia’s wedding while keeping a gun to get his revenge. Sergio finds Brenner in the washroom, but he can’t pull the trigger. He sees that Mati loves Brenner and has accepted him as his father. Brenner wants Mati to live his life as a guy who doesn’t have to worry about just earning money. Sergio’s inability to kill Brenner when he has already pointed the gun at Brenner’s head very much resembles Hamlet’s inability to kill his uncle. Sergio leaves the party limping, and Mati notices him. Mati had already noticed Sergio before when he was being stalked, and he told Brenner about that. Brenner was being threatened by people in his business, and he takes Sergio lurking around as a threat. Before leaving the party, Sergio and Estela caught each other’s eyes. Estela recognized the man whom she once raised her children with, and she followed him. When Estela calls him by his name, Sergio tries to run but his affection for her stops him for running. Before anything could unfold between them, Brenner arrives on the scene. Sergio points his gun at Brenner, but Brenner shoots him down without hesitation. Estela runs to Sergio, urging him to get up. Sergio dies while seeing his little daughter dance in front of his eyes, wearing the necklace he once gifted her.
Sergio was a good husband and a great father before he sank into debt. His decision to take the easy way out instead of facing the consequences of his own doing took away his family. He lived a life of regret and longing, and not even a person like Ilu could make it okay for him. When he was making a new family in Paraguay, Estela too, made a new one. Unlike Sergio, Estela didn’t make that decision. Sergio’s inability to be a brave person took away all the things that mattered to him, and he never really became the father and husband he wanted to be.
