The Church
In the film, the church is overall depicted as a corrupted institution, that does not in practice promote the ostensible values of Catholicism. For Kay, the church initially represents a place of love and support, and a place she can go to be part of the community. However, through the events of the film, we see that the Cardinal is only concerned with making money.
Angel
Kay and Edgar have a daughter called Angel, who they both love tremendously. For the couple, she symbolizes hope for the future and a new way of life. After finding out that she wants to become a doctor, Edgar wants to give her those opportunities so that she can flourish.
Kay and Edgar allegory
The story of Kay and Edgar's encounter with a Ponzi scheme is ultimately an allegory for the difficulties of escaping poverty. They are ultimately motivated by a desire to widen their daughter's opportunities but are unable to do so without getting involved with criminal activity.
Greed
Greed motivates much of the behavior in this film, especially by the church. The film also shows the wider impact of greed within a capitalist society, showing how it affects society's poorest members.
Family
Family is a key motif of the film and is important to the main characters Edgar and Kay. They are motivated by a desire to help their daughter and often talk about the importance of family.
