‘One Night With Adela’ Review – A Razor Sharp Re-Examination Of The Revenge Genre [Tribeca 2023]

Hugo Ruiz bursts onto the film scene with a hell of an ambitious feature film debut. Not only is the film done in single-camera shots, but it also happens to be unsettling as hell. One might even go as far as to say that it is reminiscent of Michael Haneke’s Funny Games (1997). Both movies have an expert mix of disturbing content that is balanced with a pitch-black sense of humor. Though, for the squeamish among us, Adela isn’t graphic in the gore sense. The plot centers around Adela (Laura Galan), a tough as nails street cleaner working the nightshift in the city of Madrid. We quickly learn that it’s not wise to mess with her, as she seems to have no problem dispatching anyone in her way. After a drug-fueled night of work, Adela has her sights set on specific people that have wronged her in this off-beat thriller.

Casual viewers wanting a thrill-a-minute film will probably be disappointed. In fact, there is one long take that is literally just a swaying camera shot trained on a television set that lasts nearly two minutes. For the patient viewer though, this slow-burn really does burrow under your skin and is sure to stick with you for a while. By design, the pacing and the format of single-takes help build and sustain tension and investment from the audience. The third act really kicks things into high gear, featuring a mic-drop reveal that will leave you shook.

It feels like Ruiz is not only pushing the technical limits of the medium, but he is also re-thinking the revenge genre as a whole. Ruiz gives us only the information we need to follow the narrative, and you can’t help but feel like we are coming into a story already well in progress. It’s with utter horror that we the audience witness the end result of Adela’s tragic and systematic abuse – explained in exposition. What we see before us is only a shell of Adela, who is now an apex predator. All of this is uncomfortable yet sprinkled with some dark comedy to give some balance. There is nothing victorious or satisfying about Adela’s mission nor its outcome. In an overly crowded subgenre, this is the more interesting route to take.

There are certain performances that are bound to live rent-free in your head for a long time. The titular performance from Laura Galan is definitely one of them. Galan, who made a huge splash in the indie hit Piggy, keeps her hot streak going. Galan gives one of the boldest and rawest performances you are likely to see. She sways between tragic to gleefully wicked with effortless ease. Not to mention she is often required to be nude and has a sex scene that is pretty steamy. It is a good bet to say that no Hollywood actress would dare be as free or daring, which is why some of the best movies are being made outside of the US industry. Hopefully his movie will make her a big star, and she will keep marveling us for years to come.

As much as there is to enjoy in this movie, it does feel like it could use maybe 10-15 minutes trimmed. While yes, the slower pacing does help the film, it still feels like some filler bloats things a bit too much. Despite this, One Night with Adela is a razor sharp re-examination of the revenge genre that is well worth seeking out.

One Night With Adela had its World Premiere in the Midnight section of the 2023 Tribeca Festival. 

Director: Hugo Ruiz

Writer: Hugo Ruiz

Rated: NR

Runtime: 105m