The Truce

The film opens with Martín Santomé's 49th birthday. He is a widower and father of three, leading a routine life. At work, he begins the day by deciding the fate of his department and hires two new workers, Santini and Laura. Returning home, his children throw him a party, showcasing warmth mixed with distance in the family.

Santini, anxious and effeminate, and Laura arrive in Martín's office. He quickly forms a bond with Laura, drawn to her youth and vitality. The event signals the start of a personal disruption in Martín's orderly life.

After crossing paths with a woman on the bus, Martín spends a night with her, an encounter that unsettles him. Norma Aleandro's character is not named here, but the scene marks a break from his routine and hints at desires beyond conventional boundaries. The incident foreshadows the upheavals to come.

Santini has a nervous breakdown at work and rails against the complacency of his coworkers. The episode leads to his replacement, but more importantly, it jolts Martín into self-reflection about his own life. The ripple effects touch his sense of stability and purpose.

Jaime, Martín's son, finally comes out as gay and decides to leave home to avoid causing further embarrassment. The decision upends the family dynamic and deepens Martín's sense of responsibility and guilt. The moment adds emotional distance inside the household as everyone recalibrates.

Martín meets Laura at a café and declares his love, arguing that age should not matter. Laura accepts his feelings, opening the door to a new chapter in his life. The moment marks a deliberate shift from friendship to romance.

The relationship with Laura deepens and Martín moves into her apartment, signaling a break with his old life. Blanca also begins dating a man, adding another layer of change to the family. The household atmosphere shifts from stability to new, uncertain dynamics.

Esteban grows increasingly embittered, blaming his father for leading a mediocre life. Martín urges him that it's never too late to change, and the two begin to reconcile, attempting to repair their fractured relationship. The family dynamic continues to strain under the weight of new romances.

The film's climax unfolds as Laura contracts the flu and dies from heart failure. Martín's renewed will to live collapses in the wake of her death, leaving him to confront life with bleak reality. The loss shatters the fragile peace he had found with Laura.

After Laura's death, Martín returns to a bleak view of life, a 'truce with life' that he walks through with quiet resignation. The relationship that had briefly revived him is gone, leaving him in a void of possibility. The scene carries forward into a tense, ambiguous ending.

In the final moment, Esteban tries to comfort his father as the camera centers on Martín, who appears more hopeless than ever. The ambiguity of their future lingers as the screen fades. The film leaves Martín in a state of emotional limbo, with little resolution.