The Dad Quest is a Spanish-language drama film directed by Salvador Espinosa, which premiered on Netflix on April 9, 2025. Tato Alexander wrote the movie alongside Mariano Vera. The movie is produced by Alejandra Vidal, Rodrigo Trujillo, and Sergio Salazar.
The film follows the story of a TV producer named Gallo, portrayed by Michel Brown, who finds out that his son Benito, played by Martino Leonardi, is not biologically his. Consequently, his wife Alicia decides to go away with Benito, but her life is unfortunately cut short when she meets with an accident.
Gallo ends up a single, irresponsible father who eventually embarks on a journey with Benito to find the little boy's biological father. On their quest to find out who Benito's real father is, Gallo and Benito bond with each other emotionally, which is something the former could not initially do due to his busy work life.
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The fractured nature of the family is the reality of many, which might make one wonder if the film is based on a true story. However, there are no reports suggesting that The Dad Quest is based on a true story.
Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers for The Dad's Quest. Reader's discretion is advised.
The Dad Quest is not based on a real-life story
The Netflix original film is an emotional rollercoaster as the movie deals with themes of grief, identity, and familial bonds. One of the central questions the movie explores is whether a blood connection is necessary for people to truly feel like family.
Gallo and Benito's relationship was fractured from the beginning. After his divorce from Alicia, Gallo has not met Benito in months. So when Alicia told him that she is moving to Madrid with Benito, Gallo remained unfazed.
Gallo gets so immersed in his work that he forgets to pick Benito up from school and even remains confused about the child's therapy. On the other hand, when Gallo breaks the news to Benito that he might not be his real father, the little boy claims that he does not feel hurt at all. Such events show that both these lead characters are emotionally distant and are not sure how to feel or react to certain things.
There are several poignant scenes throughout the movie that seem as though they are inspired by real life, which might or might not be true. However, plot elements like absent parents and the courage to accept someone as family regardless of blood relations might make it feel like a real story.
Also read: The Dad Quest: Full list of cast explored
Benito accepts Gallo as his father in The Dad Quest
As the film's title suggests, the movie is about Benito and Gallo embarking on a journey across the country to find the nine-year-old boy's biological father. They are joined by Diana, Benito's learning counselor, and face quite a few obstacles along the way.
Toward the end, Alicia's psychologist suggests that they meet Enrique Vega, Alicia's former boss, as he suspects that he might be Benito's father. However, after his interaction with Enrique, Benito concludes that the man is not his father.
Benito also declares that he no longer wants to look for his real father and accepts Gallo as his father. The only reason he sought Gallo's help to find his real father was that he wanted to be loved and cared for. When Gallo began doing that for Benito, the boy no longer felt the need to look for his real father, who may or may not accept him.
Also read: 6 best movies to watch if you liked The Dad Quest
The Dad Quest is available to stream on Netflix.
