Papillon (2017)
A wrongfully convicted safecracker forges an intimate, gritty friendship while enduring an epic, suspenseful escape.
Henri “Papillon” Charrière, a safecracker from the Parisian underworld, is wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the penal colony of French Guiana, where he forges a strong friendship with Louis Dega, a counterfeiter who needs his protection.
How intense is Papillon?
Papillon has light gore and strong violence. Emotionally it is heavy. The pace is measured, and it is a full-attention watch. Rated R.
What Papillon feels like
- Tone
- grittysuspensefulepicintimate
- Pace
- Measured
- Best for
- Full attention
- True story
- Yes, based on a book.
Where to stream Papillon
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 15, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is Papillon for you?
Is Papillon scary?
No. Papillon is not a scary watch (scare level 0 of 3).
Is Papillon gory or violent?
Light gore (1 of 3) and strong violence (2 of 3).
Is Papillon sad or heavy?
It is emotionally heavy (2 of 3). Expect it to land.
Is Papillon OK for kids?
It is rated R, so it is made for adults. Intensity: scare 0, gore 1, violence 2, each out of 3.
How long is Papillon?
Papillon runs 2h 14m.
Where can I stream Papillon?
Papillon is streaming on Kanopy and Hoopla.
Does Papillon have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
Bittersweet. It earns its ending, but not everyone gets what they want.
Cast and crew
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