Trash

Trash

Year: 2015

Runtime: 114 min

Language: French

Directors: Christian Duurvoort, Stephen Daldry

AdventureDramaMysteryThrillerComedyCrime

In the impoverished favelas of Rio de Janeiro, two resourceful young scavengers discover a wallet containing a valuable secret. Their find unexpectedly plunges them into a dangerous situation involving corrupt police officers and a complex web of deceit. Forced to confront their own values and the hidden truths within the wallet, they struggle to survive and uncover the full story before it’s too late.

Trash (2015) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Trash (2015) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the tangled streets and sprawling dumps of Rio’s favelas, life unfolds in a riot of color, noise, and unrelenting hardship. The city pulses with a raw energy that is both beautiful and brutal, where the line between survival and surrender is drawn in the dust of daily toil. Against this backdrop, a community of kids learns to turn trash into treasure, crafting a fragile economy from discarded objects while dreaming of a world beyond the mounds of waste.

Raphael is quick‑witted and daring, always the one to spot opportunity where others see only refuse. Beside him works Gardo, whose quiet determination balances Raphael’s impulsiveness, and Rat, a shy survivor who has learned to navigate the underground sewers that keep him hidden from the harsh judgments of the surface. Their friendship is forged in the heat of the dump, a place where loyalty is the most valuable currency and every shared find deepens their bond.

One ordinary day their scavenging leads to an unexpected discovery: a wallet that hints at something far more valuable than the usual scraps. The find pulls the trio into a precarious dance with the city’s corrupt police, whose presence looms like a dark cloud over the favela’s fragile peace. Suddenly their routine‑driven lives are tinged with mystery and danger, forcing them to ask what they are willing to risk for a secret that could change everything.

Guiding them from the fringes are Father Juilliard, a priest whose quiet compassion offers a moral compass, and Olivia, an NGO worker whose kindness provides a glimpse of hope beyond the dump. Together they create a delicate tension between the boys’ instinct to survive and the yearning to do what’s right, setting the stage for a story that pulses with streetwise grit, youthful courage, and the restless promise of a brighter tomorrow.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 04:19

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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.

Thrillers with Underdog Heroes Like Trash

Marginalized heroes use their wits to expose powerful corruption against all odds.Discover gritty thrillers and crime dramas featuring teenage protagonists or marginalized heroes fighting corrupt systems. If you liked the desperate chase and high stakes of 'Trash', you'll find similar movies about resourceful characters uncovering dangerous secrets against powerful adversaries.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically begins with an ordinary discovery that reveals a vast conspiracy, often involving political or police corruption. The protagonists, usually under-resourced and outmatched, are forced on the run, using their unique knowledge of their environment to outsmart their pursuers. The plot is a tense cat-and-mouse game where survival hinges on exposing the truth to the public.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a high-tension, fast-paced structure where the central conflict pits the powerless against the powerful. They evoke feelings of anxiety, desperation, and cautious hope, united by themes of social injustice and the triumph of resourcefulness over brute force.

Gritty Teen Survival Dramas Like Trash

Young protagonists navigate harsh realities and danger, forging their own family and morality.Explore dramatic and thrilling movies like 'Trash' that focus on teenage protagonists surviving against the odds. These films blend heavy emotional themes of poverty and injustice with the tension of a thriller, following young characters who form bonds and confront adult dangers.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows young characters whose innocence is challenged by a harsh world. They are forced to mature quickly, relying on their loyalty to each other and their street-smart skills to navigate dangers typically faced by adults. The journey is emotionally heavy, marked by sacrifice and a bittersweet loss of innocence, but often concludes with a hard-won sense of hope and justice.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their focus on the resilience of youth in extreme circumstances. They share a heavy emotional weight, a tense and gritty tone, and a central theme of teenagers confronting systemic injustice, creating a powerful and anxious viewing experience.

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Trash Summary

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Trash Summary

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Trash Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Trash

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Trash

More About Trash

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