What Is The Astrologer About?
The premise of The Astrologer in 278 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the bustling world of a California carnival, Craig Alexander spins a charismatic façade as a so‑called psychic, turning cheap tricks into a magnetic performance that draws crowds and whispers of genuine insight. The bright lights and clamor of the midway become his playground, where confidence and deception intertwine, and the line between showmanship and belief blurs with every palm reading he delivers.
When an unexpected proposition arrives, Craig’s restless ambition is steered far beyond the midway. A venture that promises both danger and reward carries him across continents to the exotic, sun‑splashed landscapes of Kenya, where the allure of priceless rubies looms on the horizon. The promise of a high‑stakes job ignites a restless curiosity, hinting at a world where fortune favors the bold and luck seems to stay just a step ahead.
Success on that distant stage becomes a springboard for an astonishing reinvention. Harnessing his newfound wealth and the mystique cultivated under the circus tent, Craig fashions a sprawling astrological broadcasting empire that captures the imaginations of a global audience. The once‑shady carnival act evolves into a polished media persona, radiating the same magnetic confidence that once sold fortunes on the midway, now amplified by the glow of screens and the hum of eager listeners.
Yet beneath the glittering veneer, the story swirls with a restless tension. As Craig’s influence swells, the very traits that propelled him—charisma, risk‑loving, and a penchant for daring choices—also sow the seeds of an inevitable reckoning. The film stakes a haunting question about the price of fame built on illusion, hinting that the road ahead may be illuminated as much by peril as by the stars he claims to read.
What Happens in The Astrologer?
The complete story of The Astrologer, from the first scene to the last, in 683 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In California, Craig Alexander, Craig Denney, begins life as a carnival hustler who poses as a psychic for the crowd. A palm reading that lands true convinces him he’s genuinely prophetic, and soon a woman joins his act, slyly lifting pockets from audience members as she works the room. The supposed partnership lasts about two years, but she eventually tires of the scam and walks away, leaving Craig to face a growing void. At the same time, his girlfriend, Darrien, Darrien Earle, vanishes without a trace, casting a longer shadow over his ambitions and the way the world starts to see him.
A wealthy couple appears one day, inviting Craig to a picnic in a graveyard and proposing a dangerous opportunity: smuggling diamonds out of Kenya. The lure of easy money pulls him in, and he soon finds himself entangled in a web that stretches across continents. He ends up in a Kenyan prison, where the couple’s influence momentarily frees him, and the trio then moves to bargain with a tribal leader, bribing him to reveal the hidden stash of jewels buried deep in the jungle. The job goes sour when tragedy strikes—the man among the couple is bitten by a cobra and dies. Craig acts decisively, shooting the venomous creature and walking away with the jewels in hand. A new, darker rhythm takes hold as another man offers him a boat in exchange for a woman; Craig accepts, but he later confronts, and shoots, the man once he discovers him exploiting the same woman.
Weeks drift at sea before he reaches Tahiti, where the instinct for danger morphs into a new scheme: selling the jewels at a bar and dipping into a pearl-diving racket to fund his evolving persona as a real “mystic.” The journey back toward legitimacy is swift and chaotic, and he lands once again in California, where his supposed gifts win the attention of the U.S. Navy. He lends his talents to locating a ship that disappeared in the notorious Devil’s Triangle, and as his profile rises, so does the public appetite for his story.
The world’s fascination reaches a fever pitch when a feature film inspired by his life—the melodramatically titled The Astrologer—becomes a global sensation. With money, fame, and a booming practice, Craig’s career seems unstoppable, and his personal life briefly stabilizes when he tracks down Darrien in a hotel; she has drifted into sex work. They marry amid headlines, a glittering symbol of reconciliation, but happiness proves fragile. A later quarrel in a restaurant ignites a fresh crisis when she cheats, and Craig shoots the man who is with her, a brutal marker of how far his life has spiraled from his carnival days.
As the years roll on, the once-charismatic fraudster confronts the consequences of his impulse-driven ascent. An old carnival sidekick returns with a stark verdict that cuts through the glamour: he bluntly reminds Craig that the label he clings to—“astrologer”—is nothing more than a mask for a man who has chosen danger, rather than truth. The line delivered in the heat of that confrontation—“You’re not an astrologer. You’re an asshole.”—lands with the weight of a verdict, sealing the sense that Craig’s legend was built on thrill and illusion rather than insight.
Throughout the tale, the arc of Craig’s journey is painted in bold, cinematic strokes. It tracks his early confidence, the lure of crime, and the uneasy alliance between charisma and deceit. The portrait unfolds against a backdrop that brims with colorful characters, from the solemn throne of a tribal chief, Solomon Mathenge, to the stern authority of a Kenyan prison official, Harvey Hunter, and the grand machinery of the Navy represented by an admiral, Donald Davies. The story blends elements of danger, ambition, and regret, without ever losing the thread of Craig’s personal ascent and its ultimate fragility. The result is a melodramatic voyage that stretches from a California carnival to the Indian Ocean, the tropical shores of Tahiti, and back to a world where myth-making and moral compromise illuminate the price of chasing fame.
“You’re not an astrologer. You’re an asshole.”
The Astrologer Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Craig's carnival psychic act begins” to “Sidekick's parting jab”. 12 events name a place, across 11 locations.
- 1
Craig's carnival psychic act begins
Craig Alexander starts out posing as a carnival psychic in California, hustling audiences with flashy readings. He unexpectedly demonstrates real psychic ability when he correctly reads a woman's palm. The woman joins his act and they begin a routine that also involves picking pockets from audience members, but she tires of the rig and leaves after about two years.
When:early career Where:California carnival
- 2
Darrien disappears
Craig's girlfriend Darrien goes missing, creating a personal crisis for him. The mystery of her disappearance lingers as his successes continue, casting a shadow over his life.
When:after initial success Where:California
- 3
Meeting the rich couple and the Kenya smuggling plan
During a stop in California, a rich couple invites Craig to a picnic in a graveyard and pitches a lucrative diamond-smuggling scheme that would take him to Kenya. The offer promises wealth and a chance to prove his mystic talents on an international stage. He agrees to take up the dangerous assignment.
When:Kenya-bound assignment offered Where:graveyard in California
- 4
Kenyan prison and release
Craig lands in a Kenyan prison as the plan goes awry, but the wealthy couple bail him out. They then meet with a tribal leader and bribe him to reveal the location of jewels in the jungle. The trio presses on with the expedition despite the danger.
When:Kenyan expedition Where:Kenya
- 5
The jungle jewels and cobra incident
They locate the hidden jewels in the jungle, but tragedy strikes when a member of the couple is bitten by a cobra and dies. Craig shoots the snake and escapes with the jewels, adding to his growing legend.
When:after jungle expedition Where:Kenya jungle
- 6
Boat for a woman; Craig shoots the would-be aggressor
An opportunist offers Craig a boat in exchange for a woman, which he accepts. Later, when he finds the man attempting to force himself on the woman, Craig shoots him. The violent act underscores the perilous path his hustler life has taken him on.
When:post-Kenya venture Where:sea
- 7
Weeks at sea and Tahiti
Craig spends several weeks at sea before arriving in Tahiti. In Tahiti he tries to sell the jewels at a bar and takes part in a pearl-diving scheme to raise money. These efforts help finance his ongoing dream of being a renowned mystic.
When:weeks at sea; arrival in Tahiti Where:Tahiti
- 8
Return to California and Navy gig
Craig returns to California and provides psychic services to the U.S. Navy by helping locate a ship missing in the Devil's Triangle. The high-profile mission boosts his wealth and fame and cements his reputation as a mystic.
When:after Tahiti Where:California
- 9
The Astrologer makes him famous
His life becomes a worldwide sensation when a movie about him, The Astrologer, becomes a global hit. The film's success makes him rich and famous and turns his mystic persona into an international icon. Public interest in his exploits spikes as his legend grows.
When:post-Navy success Where:worldwide
- 10
Darrien found, marriage, headlines
Craig locates Darrien in a hotel, where she has become a sex worker. They marry, and the wedding becomes international headline news. However, their life together grows tense, and they later argue in a restaurant.
When:after fame Where:hotel
- 11
Cheating and a fatal shooting
When Darrien cheats on him, Craig shoots the other man involved. The act marks a turning point as his glamorous lifestyle begins to unravel and his authority as a mystic is increasingly called into question.
When:after marriage Where:restaurant
- 12
Sidekick's parting jab
As Craig's life deteriorates, his old carnival sidekick delivers a scathing line: 'You're not an astrologer. You're an asshole.' The remark crystallizes the downward spiral of his legend and serves as a blunt assessment of his choices.
When:final phase Where:carnival flashback or California
Who Are the Main Characters in The Astrologer?
7 characters, among them Craig Marcus Alexander (Craig Denney), Darrien (Darrien Earle) and African Chief (Solomon Mathenge): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- CM
Craig Marcus Alexander (Craig Denney)
Played by Craig Denney
A smooth-talking hustler who passes as a psychic in a California carnival, then stumbles into real abilities and a crime-driven life. His charm masks a ruthless willingness to gamble with others’ lives, including his girlfriend and partners. As he chases diamonds across continents, he becomes both celebrated and morally bankrupt.
- 🪄 Charismatic
- 🕵️ Deceptive
- 💰 Ambitious
- D(
Darrien (Darrien Earle)
Played by Darrien Earle
Craig’s girlfriend who disappears amid early schemes, leaving him to navigate the consequences of his actions. She later resurfaces as a sex worker, illustrating the vulnerability of those caught in the con artist’s web. Her fate is intertwined with Craig’s ongoing moral descent.
- 💔 Lost love
- 🧭 Search
- 🕳️ Mystery
- AC
African Chief (Solomon Mathenge)
Played by Solomon Mathenge
A tribal leader in Kenya whom Craig and companions bribe to reveal the location of hidden jewels. His role highlights the risks and corruption involved in cross-cultural dealings and the pursuit of material gain.
- 🏺 Leadership
- 💼 Corruption
- 🌍 Cross-cultural
- KP
Kenya Prison Official (Harvey Hunter)
Played by Harvey Hunter
A prison official who presides over Craig’s imprisonment in Kenya, illustrating the consequences that follow the international jewel scheme. His presence anchors the danger of real-world law enforcement in the plot.
- 🔒 Authority
- 🧳 Detention
- ⚖️ Justice
- A(
Admiral (Donald Davies)
Played by Donald Davies
A U.S. Navy official who becomes connected to Craig’s later success as he helps locate a ship missing in the Devil’s Triangle. His involvement ties the con artist’s fame to a national-security backdrop and adds high-stakes scale to the career.
- ⚓ Military
- 🌊 Naval
- 🧭 Investigation
- DL
Darrien’s Lover (John Kaiser)
Played by John Kaiser
The man Darrien becomes involved with, whom Craig shoots when jealousy and betrayal erupt. His fate underscores the violent cost of Craig’s world and the volatile tension surrounding Darrien.
- 💔 Affair
- 🔪 Violence
- 🕊️ Romance
- CA
Carnival Assistant (James Moore)
Played by James Moore
A sidekick from the carnival days who provides camaraderie and a cautionary counterpoint to Craig’s rise. His presence echoes the dangerous humor and real-world stakes behind showbiz hustles.
- 🎭 Friendship
- 🧭 Guidance
- 🃏 Trickery
Where and When Is The Astrologer Set?
The Astrologer is set in California, Kenya, Tahiti and Devil's Triangle. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
California, Kenya, Tahiti, Devil's Triangle
California hosts the carnival hustle where Craig first pretends to be a psychic, setting the tone for his showmanship and deception. The action shifts to Kenya, where real danger erupts behind prison walls and bribes are traded with tribal leaders. Tahiti provides a tropical backdrop for pearl diving and diamond schemes that fuel Craig's rise. The Devil's Triangle frames a high-stakes naval mystery that ties Craig’s world to a broader intrigue.
- 🎪 Carnival culture
- 🗺️ International setting
- 🌊 Oceanic backdrop
What Are the Themes of The Astrologer?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Identity, Greed and Consequences.
-
01
Identity
The boundary between performance and reality blurs as Craig’s fake act intersects with real psychic moments. The story follows how personas are crafted to gain power, then tested by dangerous choices and shifting loyalties. This tension drives his relationships, from the carnival sidekick to Darrien and beyond. The arc questions what it means to truly be oneself when deception can pay off.
-
02
Greed
A diamond-smuggling plot launches Craig from hustler to treasure hunter, revealing how wealth reshapes ambition and ethics. Bribery, theft, and deadly bargains mark his ascent, while those around him pay the price. The pursuit of money continually tests loyalties and moral boundaries. Wealth becomes both a lure and a trap.
-
03
Consequences
Criminal choices ripple through every relationship, from Darrien’s disappearance to the violent outcomes of jealousy and betrayal. Law enforcement and rival schemers close in as Craig scrambles to stay ahead. The narrative culminates in a moral reckoning, punctuated by sharp, final words from a former ally. The price of his lifestyle becomes undeniable.
What Kind of Film Is The Astrologer?
Dark in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A fast-paced, dark melodrama that charts the dangerous and fatalistic rise and fall of a charismatic con-man, creating a cynical and unsettling viewing experience defined by crime, betrayal, and moral decay.
- cynical
- dangerous
- gritty
- unsettling
- melodramatic
- fatalistic
- con artist
- downfall
- crime and ambition
- moral decay
Content notes: murder, exploitation, imprisonment.
Quiz
How well do you remember The Astrologer? Test yourself on the story.
