The Swap

The Swap

Year: 1979

Runtime: 83 mins

Language: English

Director: Jordan Leondopoulos

CrimeDrama

Vito, a hardened and charismatic outlaw with a reputation for preying on women, is released after serving ten years behind bars. Determined to avenge his younger brother, he embarks on a relentless quest to uncover the man responsible for the murder, confronting the perilous women who threaten his own survival along the way.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Swap (1979)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Swap (1979). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Sam's office, cemetery, hotel, mountain road

The action shifts between Sam's editing office and the cemetery's grim quiet, with key scenes unfolding in a hotel and along a mountain road. These locations anchor a story that moves from professional life to secret affairs and dangerous confrontations. The geography of pursuit—office to cemetery to hotel to remote road—reflects the film's noir mood and shifting loyalties.

🏙️ Urban settings 🎭 Drama 🔎 Crime mystery

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:48

Main Characters – The Swap (1979)

Meet the key characters of The Swap (1979), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Sam Nicoletti (Robert De Niro)

A film editor whose life intersects with a secret circle of wealth and a hidden porn project. His murder triggers a decade-long hunt and exposes a double life that shapes the film's noir tone.

🧭 Protagonist 🔍 Mystery 💼 Film industry

Vito Nicoletti (Anthony Charnota)

Sam's brother, newly released from prison, who will stop at nothing to uncover who killed Sam and why. He pushes through danger, secures the incriminating reel, and becomes the engine of the story's revenge arc.

🗡️ Vengeance 🧭 Investigation 🕴️ Family

Erica Moore (Jennifer Warren)

A publisher who reveals that Sam spent time with Carole and became entangled in a web of secrets. Her testimony helps connect the dots between Sam's past and the circle that wants to keep it quiet.

🗂️ Secrets 🗣️ Testimony 🕵️‍♀️ Publishing

Vivian Buck (Lisa Blount)

A figure tied to Sam's past who may be both guide and participant in the unfolding drama. She discloses Sam's porn work, drives through town to aid the pursuit, and reveals a complicated loyalty to Vito.

🎗️ Loyalty 🕶️ Ambiguity 🚗 Movement

Carole Moore (Terrayne Crawford)

The girl Sam dated who ends up marrying Carole; her tie to Sam's past and to the wealthy circle helps drive the backstory and the conflicts around secrets.

💞 Past relationships 🕰️ Backstory 🧭 Social circle

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:48

Major Themes – The Swap (1979)

Explore the central themes of The Swap (1979), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕵️‍♂️ Revenge

Vito's ten-year pursuit after Sam's death drives the film's emotional engine. He refuses to accept official explanations and digs for the truth about Sam's murder. The quest tests family loyalty and moral boundaries, propelling the drama toward violent confrontations.

🎭 Secrets

Hidden lives surface as Sam's past connections come to light, revealing a double life behind the glamorous circle. Erica Moore's memories hint at manipulation and interwoven relationships built on secrecy. Archived footage and revelations about Sam's porn work expose duplicity in the group of wealth and prestige.

💀 Consequences

The pursuit culminates in bloodshed and deadly confrontations that carry heavy personal costs. Vito is wounded and moral lines blur as he enforces his version of justice. Victims and accomplices alike face the repercussions of secrets kept and lies told, ending in an uncertain, somber future.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:48

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Grim underworld revenge quests like The Swap

Hardened characters navigate a sleazy criminal underworld to avenge a profound loss.If you liked the gritty, determined vengeance story in The Swap, you'll find more movies like it here. Explore similar bleak crime thrillers where characters embark on perilous quests through dangerous underworlds, driven by loss and a grim sense of justice.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern is a linear but steadily paced investigation, driven by a clear goal: revenge. The protagonist methodically follows clues, confronting a series of increasingly threatening figures from a corrupt subculture. The journey is less about mystery and more about the grim process of retribution, often culminating in a bittersweet or costly resolution.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared dark tone, heavy emotional weight from themes like grief, and a steady pacing that builds tension towards a violent, morally complex conclusion. They create a cohesive experience of grim determination within a dangerous world.

Movies about moral corruption and dangerous secrets like The Swap

Stories where protagonists uncover shocking truths in a seedy, amoral underbelly.Fans of The Swap who were intrigued by its exploration of a seedy pornography industry and the dangerous secrets surrounding a murder will enjoy these similar films. Discover more stories where investigations lead protagonists into worlds of profound moral corruption.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative unfolds as an investigation that serves as a vehicle to explore a specific, sordid subculture. The protagonist's quest is as much about understanding the depth of the corruption as it is about achieving their initial goal. Revelations about the secret world and the people in it often lead to moral quandaries and a sense of pervasive bleakness.

Why These Movies?

These films share a central theme of exposing a hidden realm of exploitation and moral collapse. They are united by a dark, sleazy mood, disturbing themes, and a plot structure where the pursuit of truth reveals a much larger, more depressing picture of human nature.

Unlock the Full Story of The Swap

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Swap in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Swap is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Swap Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Swap, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Swap Summary

The Swap Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Swap with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Swap Timeline

The Swap Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of The Swap that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

The Swap Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Swap

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Swap: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About The Swap

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