What Is Bastards y Diablos About?
The premise of Bastards y Diablos in 358 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the wake of their father’s passing, two half‑brothers find themselves drawn together by a simple, lingering request: to trace the footprints their parent left across Colombia. The film opens with the brothers returning to a country that feels both foreign and familiar, a place where the rhythm of city streets, mountain passes and coastal villages pulse with color and memory. Their journey is less a race against time than an invitation to linger in the spaces where their father’s life unfolded, inviting the audience to share in the intimate geography of a nation both vibrant and restless.
Dion arrives from the United States with a practiced coolness, a smooth blend of English and Spanish that hints at a life lived between worlds. His older brother’s confidence is undercut by a quiet insecurity, a lingering question about the affection they never received. Ed, raised amid the bustling streets of Bogotá, carries the swagger of a carefree youth yet reveals a deeper yearning to understand the pieces of his heritage that have always hovered just out of reach. Their contrasting temperaments set the stage for a dialogue that is at once awkward and earnest, as each brother tries to navigate the other’s unspoken expectations while confronting the gaps left by a father who was never fully present.
The road ahead unfurls through a kaleidoscope of Colombian settings—bustling urban markets, lush highland towns, and sun‑kissed coastal towns—each offering a fragment of the family’s story. Along the way, relatives and acquaintances appear like living postcards, their own memories spilling into the brothers’ quest and painting a portrait of a man known more through anecdotes than affection. The film’s tone balances gentle humor with a lingering melancholy, allowing moments of laughter to coexist with the weight of unresolved history.
As the brothers travel farther into the heart of their father’s world, the distance between them begins to shrink, replaced by a tentative camaraderie rooted in shared curiosity. Their evolving connection suggests that the true destination may be less about reaching a physical endpoint and more about discovering what it means to belong—to each other and to the land that shaped their lineage.
What Happens in Bastards y Diablos?
The complete story of Bastards y Diablos, from the first scene to the last, in 629 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
The film opens with the delicate voiceover of Gabriel Roja, speaking from death to his two sons, explaining that their mothers came from separate American families. We see Ed and Dion as children in nostalgic, grainy home movies, then meet them again as young men, trading awkward, guarded conversation on the shoulder of a busy road behind an industrial airport. Dion Rojas, the elder by minutes, moves with a worldly calm that barely masks his insecurities, lights a cigarette, and drifts into stilted small talk with Ed Rojas, a frat-boy type who still carries a boyish spark. A single, undeniable fact threads through their reunion: their father is dead—the cause listed as cirrhosis—and the will he left with relatives in Colombia bids them to come home for his funeral.
They arrive at their relatives’ house with a mix of humor and discomfort, trying to bury their real feelings beneath jokes and half-formed memories. Each carries some measure of resentment about the father’s limited affection, yet they pledge to honor his final wishes. The brothers resolve to stick together in an attic room and to reassemble or, in some cases, meet for the first time their many cousins. Among these relatives is a troubled young man, Jairo, who struggles with bipolar disorder and resists treatment, and a young woman toward whom Ed feels a lingering attraction—evidence that the two have not fully understood the lives they missed as boys.
During the memorial and the days that follow, the brothers gain access to Gabriel’s will in writing, along with snapshots and detailed notes. The documents reveal a larger plan: their father wanted them to embark on a country-road trip, visiting old friends, relatives, and the places that marked his life, so they could learn about the man who had long been largely absent. Gabriel also asks that his ashes be scattered in places that held him emotionally, turning the journey into a personal pilgrimage.
The odyssey unfolds by bus, moving from city to city—Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Cartagena, and Santa Marta—each stop offering new conversations with relatives, such as Aunt Ana, that shed light on the man they barely knew. Interwoven are vivid flashbacks to a younger Gabriel, portrayed by Young Gabriel, who drinks freely and pursues women, painting a portrait of a man whose self-indulgence often eclipsed responsibility.
As the brothers trace their father’s footsteps, they wrestle with the patterns he left behind and the way those patterns shaped them. The road trip becomes less about piecing together a full, clear portrait and more about confronting the truth of Gabriel’s life—the broken, imperfect man who influenced Ed and Dion in ways they are only beginning to understand. The journey stirs both laughter and tension as they confront their own reckless impulses, mirroring the chaos of the father they thought they knew, and prompting questions about whether they can break free from the past.
Conversations with relatives, including Aunt Ana, illuminate Gabriel’s failures as a parent and as a brother. The brothers discover that their father’s life was a mosaic of longing, ambition, and self-sabotage, which ultimately undermined the family they were left to build. The revelation—that Gabriel’s choices divided the family and shaped their estrangements—lands with a quiet, sobering weight, even as the trip preserves moments of warmth and connection.
Ultimately, Ed and Dion emerge from the experience with a newly formed bond that feels both fragile and enduring. They acknowledge their love for one another as brothers and face the future with a tempered sense of hope, choosing to move forward together rather than apart. The film closes on a restrained, reflective note: the journey did not neatly resolve every question, but it did uncover a shared humanity and a commitment to support each other, no matter what comes next.
Bastards y Diablos Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “Opening voiceover and father's death” to “Closing reflection”. 10 events name a place, across 7 locations.
- 1
Opening voiceover and father's death
Gabriel Roja speaks from beyond the grave, explaining that his two sons' mothers came from separate American families. We are introduced to Ed and Dion as children, then as young men, and we learn that their father has died of cirrhosis. The deceased father's will is left with relatives in Colombia, who request the brothers return for his funeral.
- 2
Reunion on the roadside
They meet again as young men on the shoulder of a busy road behind an industrial airport, trading guarded small talk. Their shared pain sits under wary humor as they acknowledge their father's absence. The moment sets the tone for the journey to come.
Where:Roadside behind an industrial airport
- 3
Funeral in Colombia
They travel to Colombia to attend the funeral at a relatives' home and are greeted by a crowded house full of cousins. The brothers pledge to stick together in an attic room and to meet their extended family with a mix of humor and restraint. The atmosphere mixes tenderness with unresolved resentment toward their father and toward each other.
Where:Colombia
- 4
Jairo and Ed's attraction
Among the relatives is Jairo, a troubled young man with bipolar disorder who resists treatment, and a young woman Ed feels drawn to. The dynamic hints at the unresolved lives they missed when they were boys. Ed's guarded hope and the family's irreverent humor collide in these first days.
Where:Colombia
- 5
Memorial and will reveal
During the memorial, the brothers gain access to Gabriel's will, photos, and notes. The documents reveal a larger plan: a country road trip designed to visit old friends, relatives, and places that marked their father's life. Gabriel asks that his ashes be scattered in places that held him emotionally, turning the journey into a personal pilgrimage.
Where:Colombia
- 6
Road trip begins
The brothers commit to the road trip and depart from the relatives' home, beginning a journey through the country. They plan to meet more relatives and revisit places tied to Gabriel's life, letting each stop reveal another facet of the man. The voyage becomes a test of whether they can interpret their father's legacy without becoming trapped by it.
Where:Colombia
- 7
First stop Bogota
Bogota welcomes them with Aunt Ana, who sheds light on Gabriel's failures and charisma. The conversations in the capital deepen the brothers' understanding while stirring old insecurities. The dynamic between Ed and Dion begins to shift as they face how their father's choices shaped them.
Where:Bogota
- 8
Medellin memories
Medellin offers more family stories about Gabriel, expanding the portrait beyond the outward charm. The brothers confront how his life choices created rifts and expectations that followed them into adulthood. The city becomes a stage for memory and reckoning.
Where:Medellin
- 9
Cali reflections
Cali continues the odyssey, and the discussions grow more candid about longing, ambition, and self-sabotage. They begin to recognize patterns in their father that mirror their own impulses, forcing them to question who they want to be. The road becomes a mirror of the man they are still trying to understand.
Where:Cali
- 10
Cartagena heart and truths
Cartagena deepens the sense that the past lingers in present relationships, including Ed's attraction to a young woman. Relatives speak more bluntly about Gabriel's failures as a parent and brother, adding weight to the brothers' struggle for meaning. The city’s sea breeze contrasts with the tension inside the car as truths emerge.
Where:Cartagena
Show the other 5 events of Bastards y Diablos Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Santa Marta and the ashes
Santa Marta culminates the journey as they prepare to scatter Gabriel's ashes in places that held him emotionally. The travel reveals both warmth and strain, reinforcing that memory can heal without erasing pain. The brothers come to terms with their father's flawed humanity.
Where:Santa Marta
- 12
Flashbacks to young Gabriel
Interwoven are flashbacks to a younger Gabriel, drinking freely and pursuing women, painting a more complex portrait of the man they barely knew. These scenes illuminate the gaps in the brothers' childhoods and complicate their feelings toward him. The past collides with the present as the pilgrimage reshapes their identity.
- 13
Revelation and reckoning
The revelations show that Gabriel's choices divided the family and shaped Ed and Dion's estrangements, yielding a sobering, unvarnished truth. The life is presented as a mosaic of longing, ambition, and self-sabotage rather than a neat portrait. The brothers' understanding shifts from judgment to guarded empathy.
- 14
New bond and moving forward
Ed and Dion emerge with a newly formed bond, acknowledging their love for each other as brothers and choosing to move forward together. The road trip ends on a tempered note of hope, with renewed loyalty and a sense of responsibility toward one another. The journey leaves them changed, carrying the possibility of rebuilding their lives.
- 15
Closing reflection
The trip did not resolve every question, but it uncovered a shared humanity and a commitment to support each other moving forward. The film closes on a restrained, reflective note as Ed and Dion face the future side by side.
Who Are the Main Characters in Bastards y Diablos?
6 characters, among them Gabriel Roja (Voice), Ed Rojas and Dion Rojas: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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Gabriel Roja (Voice)
Played by J.B. Blanc
The father whose self-indulgent past and emotional absence cast long shadows over his sons. Through memories and the will, the film probes the complicated mix of care and neglect he offered. His life is revealed as a mosaic of longing, ambition, and self-sabotage that continues to influence Ed and Dion.
- 🎭 Complex
- 💔 Flawed
- 👨 Father
- ER
Ed Rojas
Played by Andrew Perez
A frat-boy type who still carries a boyish spark, Ed navigates sibling loyalty and lingering attraction while facing his father’s legacy. He brings warmth and impulsiveness to the brothers’ reunion, along with a readiness to confront uncomfortable truths. His connection to a young woman hints at unresolved longing from the past.
- 🎯 Frat-boy
- 🔗 Loyal
- 👨👦 Brother
- DR
Dion Rojas
Played by Dillon Porter
The elder by minutes, Dion moves with a worldly calm that barely masks his insecurities. He acts as a stabilizing force for his brother, but carries his own doubts about the family’s fractures. The road trip tests his patience and reveals his capacity for tenderness and protectiveness.
- 🧭 Calm
- 💔 Insecure
- 👨 Brother
- EM
Ed's Mother
Played by Madeline Merritt
A maternal figure witnessing the brothers’ reunion, she embodies a quiet strength that underscores the film’s themes of family resilience. Her presence anchors memory and adds emotional depth to the journey, reminding the brothers of what’s at stake for their future.
- 🤱 Mother
- 🛡️ Protective
- 🧵 Resilience
- DR
Diana Rojas
Played by Laura Piquero
A young woman who appears in the trip and becomes a focal point for Ed’s lingering attraction, highlighting the tensions between desire, memory, and responsibility. Diana also serves as a mirror to the past, offering moments of warmth amid the road trip’s heavier revelations.
- ✨ Love interest
- 🤝 Support
- 👩 Family
- YG
Young Gabriel
Played by Sebastián Eslava
A younger version of the father, portrayed in flashbacks as free-spirited and hedonistic. These scenes illuminate the roots of Gabriel’s later behavior and how his choices shaped the brothers’ lives.
- 🔥 Youth
- 🕊️ Recklessness
- 👨 Father
Where and When Is Bastards y Diablos Set?
Bastards y Diablos is set in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Colombia. Here is why the place matters to the story.
When
The film moves between a present-day road trip and flashbacks to Gabriel's younger days, weaving memory with the consequences of his choices and the family's evolving relationships.
Where
Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Colombia
The journey unfolds across several Colombian cities known for their distinct flavors and histories. The stops in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Cartagena, and Santa Marta anchor the narrative in a real-world map of family histories and regional contrasts. Each city reveals a facet of Gabriel's life and the relatives who shaped him, turning the trip into a moving family pilgrimage.
- 🚗 Road trip
- 🗺️ Colombian cities
- 🏙️ Urban landscapes
What Are the Themes of Bastards y Diablos?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Family, Memory and Legacy.
-
01
Family
The road trip binds Ed and Dion as brothers who must confront their father’s failures and the distance it bred between generations. Through conversations with relatives and shared memories, they renegotiate loyalty, forgiveness, and what it means to belong to a family. The journey reframes love as a collaborative effort to move forward together rather than dwell on the past.
-
02
Memory
Memories of Gabriel are fragmented and conflicting, reflected in the brothers’ tentative attempts to reconstruct him. Flashbacks reveal a man driven by longing and self-sabotage, whose actions left lasting scars. The tension between remembered myths and lived reality challenges the brothers to accept imperfect truths.
-
03
Legacy
Gabriel’s life is presented as a mosaic of ambition, failure, and longing, shaping the men Ed and Dion become. The will and the journey turn into a personal pilgrimage to understand what a father’s legacy truly means. The film suggests that legacy is not a tidy inheritance but a complicated inheritance of choices.
What Kind of Film Is Bastards y Diablos?
Bittersweet in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A melancholic and reflective road trip drama that explores the complicated legacy of an absent father, blending moments of family warmth with the sobering weight of past failures and the fragile hope of a new brotherly bond.
- nostalgic
- introspective
- melancholic
- reflective
- warm
- unsettled
- grief and loss
- family legacy
- brotherhood
- road trip
Content notes: mental illness, alcoholism.
Quiz
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