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The Penitent (1988) isn’t faith-affirming drama—it’s lurid exploitation mocking Catholic penitents. In a devout New Mexico/Mexico village reenacting Christ’s Passion (flagellation, crucifixion), jealous husband Ramon (Raúl Juliá) joins fanatical Penitentes while his virginal wife Celia falls for ex-con friend Juan (Armand Assante), sparking deadly love triangle amid rituals. Directed by Cliff Osmond, it sensationalizes "primitive brutal" self-mortification as barbaric cult, blending sex, betrayal, and gore—not exploring redemption or biblical penance. Secular gaze shames Hispanic Catholic traditions as repressed pathology. Cherry-picks extremism to caricature piety, ignoring healthy devotion. Obscure PG-13 thriller for grindhouse fans, not believers.
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Details
- Director
- Cliff Osmond
- Written by
- Cliff Osmond
- Composer
- Alex North
- Cinematographer
- Robin Vidgeon
- Studios
- The Vista Organization, Ithaca
- Origin countries
- Mexico, United States
- Runtime
- 1h 30m
- Language
- English
- TMDB
- 6.6/10 (5 votes)
- IMDb
- 6.5/10 (171 votes)
Cast
Crew
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