The Bad Family

Before attending a court hearing, a young man reflects on the harm caused to an injured victim and his family, admitting he would offer an apology "For... for having fucked up part of his life, you know?" latestnetflix.com's take is that he awaits the proceedings without knowing how the session will unfold, while expressing hope that his friend Jamel will soon be released from custody.

Inside the courtroom, defense lawyers and the prosecutor negotiate terms before the judge to avoid an immediate trial. The court establishes a joint civil liability payment schedule to settle damages totaling over 50,000 euros, addressing objections regarding the unfairness of burdening only the employed defendants.

The defendants—Andrés David, Jonathan Echeverry, Juan Sebastian Murillejo, Natanael de Jesús, Byron Alejandro, and Jamel Stalin, each stand and accept responsibility for two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. The judge grants a four-year suspension of their one-year prison sentences, warning that the relief remains "conditional on the payment of damages with a monthly sum of 2,500 euros." Jamel is returned to custody to complete a separate term ending in February.

Over the following months, the friends exchange video calls and phone messages while working jobs in construction, removals, and painting. Sebastian announces his graduation from dental hygiene training, and Jamel checks in after eight months of release. Andrés calls the group from prison using a borrowed mobile phone, announcing he has earned a temporary weekend release: "Six days to go... That's it. Six days, so I'm golden."

The group arranges a reunion barbecue to celebrate his leave. Natanael arrives on a flight from abroad, and several friends gather to purchase large quantities of meat, bread, and supplies at a local market before leaving promptly when police officers approach nearby.

The young men set up their supplies and gather kindling while reflecting on routine police stops and their shared past. At an abandoned, graffiti-covered structure near a reservoir, they clear broken glass and build a fire while awaiting Andrés.

Two friends pick up Andrés from prison in a car. During the drive, Andrés speaks with his employer about scheduling parole requirements and declines an offer to smoke marijuana, noting he faces mandatory drug testing each Monday.

At the reservoir, the friends embrace Andrés and present him with a new Lacoste polo shirt for his past birthday. They grill meat, drink, and discuss their experiences as immigrants, adjusting between different countries, and surviving exploitative apprenticeships.

Surrounded by the group, Andrés reads aloud a draft letter written during his ten-month sentence in an Educational Therapy Unit. He recounts his unexpected arrest outside a Gijón hotel, ten days of solitary quarantine, and the strict institutional hierarchy of the block. He shares his anxiety regarding the collective fine, noting, "As the judge said if one of us doesn't pay up, we all go to prison."

Later, Andrés sits by the water with a friend, discussing the fear of returning to prison just as personal stability and romantic relationships begin to form. They recall how in their youth they referred to their circle as "The Bad Family," agreeing that maintaining their bond remains essential.

The gathering turns tense when the conversation shifts to the status of their joint monthly court payments. Several members reveal that they have fallen behind on installments or stopped paying entirely due to lack of funds. Jamel insists that his financial distress leaves him no options, repeatedly stating, "I can't pay, brother! I can't pay!"

Arguments break out over accountability and personal hardship. When Chimaira presses him to contribute whatever he can, Jamel lashes out at the group, shouting, "While you've all been free, I've been in prison, bro." The others intervene to separate the men and calm the dispute before the gathering disperses.

As Andrés travels back to the detention center at the end of his weekend leave, he receives a voice message from a friend. The caller relays that Jamel regrets the confrontation, reminds Andrés that the group will manage the remaining payments together on the outside, and closes with the reassurance, "We're a family and that means forever."