The Clan

The Clan

Year: 2016

Runtime: 110 min

Language: Spanish

Director: Pablo Trapero

BiographyDramaThrillerCrime

A seemingly ordinary family’s life unravels when the patriarch, Arquímedes Puccio, initiates a series of kidnappings. As his eldest son, Alejandro, becomes more involved in his father's criminal schemes, he discovers the disturbing reality of the man he idolized—a ruthless and calculating killer. Alejandro is forced to confront this truth, leading to a painful reckoning that jeopardizes the family’s future and exposes the dark secrets lurking beneath their ordinary existence.

The Clan (2016) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

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In the restless streets of 1980s Buenos Aires, a respectable middle‑class home hides a tension that mirrors the city’s own uneasy transition from military rule to democracy. The modest apartment, with its ordinary décor and quiet neighborhood, becomes a stage where personal ambition and the lingering shadows of a turbulent past intersect, creating an atmosphere thick with unease and possibility.

At the center of this world stands Arquímedes Puccio, a former intelligence operative whose disciplined demeanor masks a restless drive for stability. Beside him, Epifanía Puccio maintains the family’s outward normalcy, while their children each embody a different facet of the household’s fragile façade. The eldest, Alejandro, shines on the rugby field and enjoys the admiration of friends; the middle son, Daniel “Maguila” Puccio, drifts away from home, and the younger siblings—Silvia, a devoted teacher; Adriana, still navigating school life; and Guillermo, on the cusp of adulthood—populate the home with hopes and quieter aspirations.

When the patriarch begins to steer the family toward a series of covert, lucrative activities, the respectable veneer begins to crack. Alejandro is drawn into his father’s plans, leveraging his charisma and social connections, while his burgeoning relationship with Mónica adds a tender counterpoint to the growing darkness. As the young man grapples with the allure of wealth and the unsettling reality of his father’s choices, a tension builds between loyalty to family and an emerging, uneasy conscience.

The film unfolds with a muted, almost clinical visual style that reflects the era’s gritty realism, punctuated by moments of intimate family interaction that feel both familiar and disquieting. Beneath the polite conversations and everyday routines lies a relentless undercurrent of secrecy, ambition, and the fear that one misstep could unravel everything the Puccio family has painstakingly constructed.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 16:55

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Moral collapse in families like in The Clan

Stories where seemingly normal families conceal a dark and destructive core.If you were captivated by the moral unraveling of the Puccio family in The Clan, explore these movies about seemingly ordinary families hiding dark secrets. These similar crime dramas and psychological thrillers focus on betrayal, corrupted legacies, and the heavy emotional toll of discovering the truth.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows a linear, character-driven path where a central protagonist, embedded within the family unit, uncovers a fundamental lie or crime at its heart. The story is built on the gradual erosion of trust, forcing the character into an agonizing moral conflict between blood loyalty and the truth, often culminating in their participation or rebellion against the family's corruption.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped together because they share a dark, oppressive tone and a focus on the psychological destruction of familial bonds. They create a claustrophobic atmosphere where the home becomes a prison, and the central conflict is an internal war between love and morality, usually ending in tragedy.

Bleak true crime stories like The Clan

Gritty, unflinching dramatizations of real-life crimes that offer no easy answers.For viewers who appreciated the grim, fact-based approach of The Clan, this section features movies based on true stories of crime. These similar biographical dramas and thrillers are known for their steady pacing, high emotional weight, and bleak, unromanticized portrayal of real events and their tragic outcomes.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread often follow a chronological, steady-paced structure that mirrors the investigative or procedural nature of the real events. The narrative doesn't seek to provide catharsis or heroism but instead documents a grim chain of events, emphasizing the senselessness of the crime and the profound, often unresolved, trauma it leaves behind.

Why These Movies?

These films share a commitment to authenticity and a sobering tone. The connection comes from their shared basis in true events, their methodical pacing that builds dread, their high emotional intensity, and their consistently bleak outlook, refusing to sugar-coat the harsh realities of crime.

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The Clan Summary

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The Clan Timeline

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Clan

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