Film Review: ONE NIGHT WITH ADELA: Laura Galán is Astonishing in a Dark, Provocative Film That is Disturbing and Brilliant [Tribeca 2023]

One Night with Adela Review

One Night with Adela (2023) Film Review from the 22nd Annual Tribeca Film Festival, a movie written and directed by Hugo Ruiz and starring Laura Galán, Jimmy Barnatan, Raudel Raúl Martiato, Fernando Moraleda, Gemma Nierga and Rosalía Omil.

Laura Galán delivers what could be the performance of her career in Hugo Ruiz’s dark and powerful new Spanish drama, One Night with Adela. Galán makes this role something profoundly fascinating for the viewer to behold. Ruiz has crafted a disturbing but nonetheless intriguing film full of surprising developments. It’s a character study of someone who has been pushed past the breaking point and there’s no turning back for her. One Night with Adela builds steadily like a roller coaster ride until it pulls out all the stops with some of the most provocative dialogue you’re bound to hear in a movie any time soon.

As the film opens, we meet the overweight female street sweeper, Adela (Galán). She is driving her work vehicle around and then some disrespectful men both make fun of her and come on to her sexually. They ridicule her for her appearance but still want to have their way with her. When one man, in particular, attempts to fondle her breasts, he finds money on her and thus decides to rob Adela instead. Adela proceeds to viciously strangle the man out of rage. Shortly thereafter, she engages in activities where heavy drug-use is involved and then she calls a radio station to make them aware of her rage and that she plans on hurting someone.

The first hour of this film is all set up for a concluding 45-minutes that could change the way you see humanity forever. In a dark cinematic triumph, Ruiz lets the dialogue explain all of Adela’s trials and tribulations which have led to her taking drastic actions. This movie is cleverly filmed in what appears to be one continuous take. The camera is tracking Adela who is like a ticking time bomb ready to explode. When she does, the movie doesn’t hold back and takes us to uncharted cinematic territory.

The arrival of a hunky Black male (the well-cast Raudel Raúl Martiato) in an apartment Adela finds herself in soon sets off a chain of events. Given their difference in appearance, it soon becomes apparent they are not mutually together in a relationship. Adela is paying the man for sex. She has a demand for him, though. She proposes that the man wears a blindfold during sexual activity. He seems to be hesitant but agrees. Adela states that she is dominant in terms of her sexual preferences. Then, the sexual encounter begins.

There is also the matter of Adela’s parents (Fernando Moraleda and the amazingly intense Rosalía Omil) who come into the film for a large portion of it. It wouldn’t be fair to the viewer to reveal how they fit into all this, though.

There is frank sexual content in this film. Adela soon becomes naked as she engages in raw sex with the male escort who has come to be with her. There’s a purpose for this development and when it all comes into fruition, the story explodes into something much more disturbing than was expected.

Galán is nothing short of brilliant in this part. This is the role any actress would love to play but few, if any, could come close to capturing the intensity Galán adds to the role. Adela becomes violent and all her life’s misfortunes and misery is laid out bare for the viewer to behold in all its frankness as Adela displays much volatility. Religion comes into the equation as the concept of forgiveness and the idea of confessing one’s sins is examined by Adela in dark ways. Galán has some tough dialogue to recite and masterfully conveys the character she is playing’s frustrations. We may not relate to her but Galán hits it out of the park in the performance. This is the type of role that deserves awards.

One Night with Adela is different from anything I’ve ever seen before. The aggression that Adela unleashes out on to those who she believes wronged her is authentically gut-wrenching. Most people never get to express their sorrows or dissatisfaction to those who have deceived them. However, Adela’s approach is wrong and over-the-top. While the movie could be seen as Adela’s twisted fantasy come to life, one could also pity Adela but her unpredictability makes her dangerous beyond a reasonable doubt.

Ruiz has made what should become one of the most talked about films at this year’s Tribeca Festival. It’s a frightening portrait of a woman pushed over the edge. She’s stuck in a body that limits her in some ways but the character of Adela soon lets nothing get in the way of her wrath, including her body. Adela is a character that will disturb the audience but there is some humanity buried in her. It’s just been pushed to the point of no return. This is an amazing triumph for Ruiz and Galán. It’s a must-see picture.

Rating: 9/10

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