Movie details

The Penitent(1988)

Name: The Penitent
Genre: Horror, Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: 1988-05-27
Duration: 90 min
Rating: 6.6
Cast: Raúl Juliá, Armand Assante, Martin LaSalle, Rona De Ricci, Julie Carmen

Horror Drama Thriller Crime

Status: Released
Release date: 1988-05-27
Runtime: 1h 30m
Rating: 6.6 / 10 (5 votes)
Original language: en
Certification: -
Budget: -
Revenue: -
Popularity: 1
Adult content: No

IMDb

Overview

The Penitent (1988) isn’t faith-affirming drama—it’s lurid exploitation mocking Catholic penitents. In a devout New Mexico/Mexico village reenacting Christ’s Passion (flagellation, crucifixion), jealous husband Ramon (Raúl Juliá) joins fanatical Penitentes while his virginal wife Celia falls for ex-con friend Juan (Armand Assante), sparking deadly love triangle amid rituals. Directed by Cliff Osmond, it sensationalizes "primitive brutal" self-mortification as barbaric cult, blending sex, betrayal, and gore—not exploring redemption or biblical penance. Secular gaze shames Hispanic Catholic traditions as repressed pathology. Cherry-picks extremism to caricature piety, ignoring healthy devotion. Obscure PG-13 thriller for grindhouse fans, not believers.