Eye for an Eye 2020

The film begins with Kike on a fishing platform, where we witness a man with his hands shackled, confined within a sizable underwater cage. In a prison setting, the semi-retired drug lord Antonio Padín is undergoing a battery of tests that reveal the dramatic decline in his mobility due to an undisclosed ailment. After his release from prison, prompted by his deteriorating medical condition, he is picked up by his son Toño, who claims he’s there to take Padín back home. However, Kike reaches out to ask Padín what should be done with their captive, to which Padín coldly instructs them to “break his legs,” before telling Toño he has no intention of returning home and plans to check into a nursing home instead, exclaiming, “because I fucking feel like it.”

Subsequently, we see Mario and Julia attending a prenatal class for couples. After class, Mario, who serves as the head nurse at an assisted living facility, is seen demonstrating his adeptness at comforting a reluctant patient into enjoying dinner. His methods, however, are questionable as he makes a promise to the patient he does not intend to keep. Ana, a fellow staff member, breaks the news to Mario that Padín will be living at the facility, a fact that raises Mario’s apprehension, as he is well aware of Padín’s notorious past as a drug lord.

As tensions heighten, Padín has a heated conversation with Kike and Toño regarding their drug dealings, highlighting Kike’s lack of respect for Padín’s authority. Mario begins to earn Padín’s reluctant trust as he assists him with mobility exercises. Yet, Toño warns Padín that their operations will continue “with or without you,” while Kike threatens Mario, indicating that any harm done to Padín will have consequences. Struggling with the moral implications of his job, a visibly shaken Mario later confronts his reflection in the bathroom mirror after a news segment about Padín stirs feelings of unease.

The following day, Padín resists getting out of bed, prompting Mario to discuss the benefits of nursing homes over familial pity. As Mario continues to help him recover, a moment of sincerity emerges when Padín expresses gratitude after being tucked in at night. However, Mario’s demeanor shifts as he drives late into a dubious area of town, disguised from Julia as he seeks drugs from an intoxicated man, who eerily recognizes Mario, hinting at a darker past.

Kike resumes discussing the urgent need for a deal with the Chinese, leading to a visit to the nursing home, where they find Padín engaged in an innocent game with other residents, oblivious to the lies surrounding his consent for the deal. Padín’s situation worsens as Mario diligently attends to him, balancing care with surreptitious injections of street drugs administered nightly.

Amidst this chaos, Toño and Kike find themselves deeply embroiled in their criminal activities. They make decisions that lead to catastrophic consequences, including an ill-fated drug delivery attempt resulting in violence. Amidst hints of Mario’s complicated past, his ongoing emotional struggle with his choices intensifies when he begins to reflect on the sins of his history.

As the narrative unfolds, multiple arcs intertwine: Mario’s increasing bond with Padín contrasts sharply with Toño’s desperation and Kike’s reckless ambition. Mario’s intent to help Padín ultimately darkens as he reveals the betrayal layered within his care, notably misleading Padín by withholding medications while providing him heroin, showcasing the film’s grim theme of betrayal and moral corruption.

In a dramatic turn of events, the film plunges into chaos involving police investigations and escalating violence. Inevitable confrontations arise as Mario’s life spirals further out of control, resulting in a race against time as he navigates the ramifications of his actions and the weight of his decisions.

In the climactic moments, the narrative reaches a tragic climax with devastating turns of fate, as familial ties and aspirations shatter, concluding with Mario attending Padín’s funeral while hidden motives and implications of inheritance surface, setting a somber tone as he grapples with the aftermath of the choices made along the way. The ultimate tragedy underscores the fragility of life and the overwhelming burden of guilt, culminating in a haunting conclusion.