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Plot Summary

The Saint (2017) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 96 mins · Lithuanian
Directed by
Andrius Blaževičius
Starring
Vladimir Dorondov, Marius Repšys, Gelminė Glemžaitė, Artūras Aleksejevas, Valentinas Krulikovskis, Jonas Braškys

Set in a Lithuanian town struggling with the 2008 economic crisis, the film follows Vytas after he loses his factory job. Encouraged by his wife, he begins a fruitless search for employment. Seeking distraction, he pursues a relationship with a local hairdresser, Marija, with similar lack of success. Ultimately, his search turns to a man who posted a video online, claiming to have witnessed Jesus Christ in their town, marking the only endeavor in which Vytas finds what he is looking for.

On this page (4)
  1. 1 What happens: full plot
  2. 2 Plot questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in The Saint: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of The Saint (2017) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Simon Templar, also known as The Saint, foils a terrorist plot to trade gold for bombs. After seizing most of the gold, he leaves his signature calling card, signaling that a calculated message has been delivered. Meanwhile, a shadowy figure, Vladimir Dorondov as Konsultantas, directs banker Arnie Valecross to siphon off $2.5 billion in aid meant for Nigeria. Templar, already aware of the theft, resolves to recover the funds and prevent further harm.

Valecross diverts the money, triggering a chain of consequences that reaches back to his employer. When the employer steps in, Valecross’s daughter is kidnapped, raising the stakes and forcing the players to move quickly. Templar intervenes at key moments, but Valecross is fatally wounded, and in his final moments he drops crucial information that could unravel the whole scheme.

With Valecross out of the picture, Templar teams up with his ally Patricia Holm and associate Doyle Cosentino to pursue the elusive nomad mentioned by Valecross. The chase intensifies as the FBI, led by Agent John Henry Fernack, closes in, turning the pursuit into a high-stakes race against time to locate the nomad and recover the stolen funds. As clues assemble, the film reveals troubling connections between Templar’s past and the mysterious employer orchestrating the chaos.

In the end, Templar succeeds in rescuing the hostages and returning the money to its rightful place. He confronts the man responsible for his parents’ deaths, and, guided by a commitment to justice rather than vengeance, chooses a path that emphasizes accountability and the rule of law over personal vengeance.

Last updated: March 24, 2026 at 19:59

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Plot questions answered

The Saint Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about The Saint (2017): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does banker Arnie Valecross agree to steal the $2.5 billion in aid money?

Valecross is coerced into the scheme by a mysterious figure known as Konsultantas. Though the exact pressure is not fully detailed in the summary, the timeline indicates that Konsultantas directs him to siphon off the funds, and later threatens his daughter to ensure his compliance. The massive sum and the threat against his family create the leverage needed to force a seemingly respectable banker into criminal involvement.

Foreshadowing: The mysterious figure's initial order to Valecross sets the entire conspiracy in motion.

  • arnie valecross
  • konsultantas
  • stolen funds
  • nigeria aid money
  • coercion
Q2

How does Simon Templar become aware of the $2.5 billion theft?

The summary indicates that Templar was already aware of the theft before taking action. While the exact source of his information is not detailed, his reputation as a master thief and operative likely means he has intelligence networks or methods of monitoring high-level financial crimes that led him to discover the scheme.

  • simon templar
  • theft discovery
  • intelligence
  • stolen funds
Q3

Who is the mysterious figure Konsultantas and what is his role in the plot?

Konsultantas is a shadowy figure who directs banker Arnie Valecross to steal the $2.5 billion in Nigerian aid money. He operates as the mastermind behind the conspiracy, using Valecross as a pawn to execute the theft. Later revelations connect Konsultantas to events from Templar's past, making him the primary antagonist whose actions drive much of the film's conflict.

  • konsultantas
  • mysterious employer
  • mastermind
  • villain
Q4

Why does the mastermind kidnap Valecross's daughter?

The kidnapping serves as leverage to ensure Valecross remains compliant with the scheme. After Valecross diverts the funds, his employerkidnaps his daughter to prevent him from backing out or cooperating with authorities. This escalation forces Valecross deeper into the conspiracy and raises the stakes, creating additional pressure that impacts the film's later events.

Foreshadowing: The threat against Valecross's family begins after he agrees to divert the funds.

  • valecross daughter
  • kidnapping
  • leverage
  • coercion
Q5

What crucial information does Valecross reveal before dying?

Before dying from his wounds, Valecross provides two critical pieces of information: he names the mysterious employer orchestrating the scheme and mentions an elusive 'nomad' who possesses key information about the plot. This clue becomes essential as Templar and his allies pursue the nomad to trace the stolen money and uncover the full extent of the conspiracy.

Foreshadowing: Valecross's death is triggered by the dangerous game he was forced into.

  • valecross death
  • nomad
  • crucial information
  • conspiracy
Q6

Who is the 'nomad' that Valecross mentions before dying?

The nomad is an elusive figure who holds key information about the stolen funds and the conspiracy. Following Valecross's death, Templar teams up with Patricia Holm and Doyle Cosentino to hunt down this nomad. The search for the nomad drives much of the second half of the film, as the trail of clues leads the team closer to the mastermind's hidden connections and the location of the stolen money.

Foreshadowing: Valecross's dying words point Templar toward this mysterious figure.

  • nomad
  • key information
  • money trail
  • conspiracy
Q7

What is the FBI's involvement in the story?

The FBI, led by Agent John Henry Fernack, pursues Simon Templar throughout the film. While Templar is working to recover the stolen funds and stop the conspiracy, Fernack views him as a fugitive and criminal. This creates a parallel chase as Templar must evade law enforcement while simultaneously pursuing the real criminals, adding official pressure and complexity to his mission.

  • fbi
  • agent fernack
  • pursuit
  • law enforcement
Q8

How is the mastermind connected to Templar's past?

The film reveals that the mastermind's actions are tied to events from Templar's personal history. Specifically, the antagonist is revealed to be responsible for the deaths of Templar's parents. This connection transforms the mission from a straightforward heist recovery into a personal vendetta, adding emotional weight to the conflict.

Foreshadowing: The film gradually reveals troubling connections between the mastermind's chaos and Templar's past.

  • mastermind connection
  • templar parents
  • past
  • revenge
Q9

Why does Templar choose justice over revenge at the end?

After confronting the man responsible for his parents' deaths, Templar opts for justice rather than personal vengeance. This choice reflects his commitment to accountability and the rule of law, even when faced with the opportunity for revenge against someone who destroyed his family. The decision underscores his character arc and resolves the film with a moral message about preferring lawful justice over personal retribution.

  • justice vs revenge
  • moral choice
  • accountability
  • closure
Q10

What is the significance of Simon Templar leaving his calling card at the terrorist scene?

When Templar foils the terrorist plot and recovers the gold, he leaves behind his signature calling card. This act signals his involvement to the conspirators and serves as his trademark - a calculated message that he has been there and that the game has changed. It establishes his presence in the larger conflict and taunts the criminal elements he is about to pursue.

  • calling card
  • signature
  • terrorist plot
  • gold

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Saint, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Saint tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about economic desperation like The Saint

Stories of ordinary people pushed to their limits by financial collapse. If you liked the portrayal of post-crisis struggle in The Saint, explore more movies about characters pushed to their limits by unemployment and financial collapse, searching for meaning in a crumbling world.

  • tense
  • bleak
  • gritty
  • desperate
  • grounded
  • social realism
  • Tone: tense, bleak, resolved
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow a protagonist who loses their job or financial security, sending them into a spiral of desperation. The plot is driven by their attempts to find new work, cope with the stress, and often pursue unconventional or even ill-advised avenues to reclaim a sense of purpose or escape their circumstances.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the visceral experience of economic downturn. They connect through a tense, grounded mood, a protagonist driven by desperation, and a setting that feels authentically impacted by larger financial forces.

Movies about fruitless pursuits like The Saint

Character studies where the main quest fails, but a smaller, unexpected victory is found. Discover more films like The Saint where a character's main quest fails, but a smaller, unexpected victory is found. These movies explore the quiet resolutions that come from abandoning a fruitless pursuit.

  • frustrating
  • hopeful
  • bittersweet
  • character study
  • contemplative
  • resigned
  • Tone: tense, bittersweet, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The central narrative pattern involves a protagonist doggedly pursuing a clear objective, only to be met with repeated failure and disappointment. The story arc subverts traditional success narratives by having the character ultimately abandon or fail their initial goal, but in doing so, they stumble upon a different, more meaningful form of closure or personal fulfillment.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their shared narrative structure of failed pursuits and their specific emotional payoff. They offer a more nuanced and realistic view of success, focusing on the bittersweet or quietly happy endings that come from accepting a different path.

Every angle

The Saint (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Saint in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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