González: The False Prophet

González lives in a dilapidated room in Mexico City, a lost soul in one of the world’s biggest metropolises. Desperate to be someone in life—and to pay off his debts—he embarks on a journey into the increasingly magnetic world of big-box Christianity. Religion seems to offer a quick path to becoming rich and soon González is willing to do anything in his power in order to make it happen. A thriller that evokes the gritty style of Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, Gonzalez: The False Prophet is a suspenseful ride through the darker side of charismatic preachers and upstart religions that flourish on the hardearned money of desperate people in need of hope.

Directed by Christian Díaz Pardo, González: The False Prophet leans on a strong ensemble — Carlos Bardem, Harold Torres, Olga Segura-Gall — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2014.