The Invisible Guest (Original Spanish title: Contratiempo) is a 2016 Spanish detective and thriller film. Directed and written by Oriol Paulo, the film stars Mario Casas, Bárbara Lennie, and Ana Wagener in the leading roles. The story centers on a successful businessman in the high-tech sector who is accused of murder, focusing on the ensuing interrogation process.

Plot

The film begins with Adrián Doria, a successful businessman, being taken into custody in a mountain hotel room alongside the corpse of his lover, Laura. In order to build a reliable defense, Adrián meets with Virginia Goodman, an experienced lawyer specializing in witness preparation and legal statements. As Adrián begins recounting the events from the beginning, Virginia starts to notice inconsistencies in his story. During the interrogation, connections are revealed between the current situation and a past car accident involving Adrián and Laura, which resulted in the death of a man named Daniel Garrido. As the story unfolds, the line between truth and lies becomes increasingly blurred.

^{Contratiempo Trailer (Youtube)}

Theme

The film explores themes such as crime, justice, deception, manipulation, and conscience. The characters are forced to confront the consequences of their past decisions, which forms the central conflict of the narrative. The plot develops through interrogation, in a structure where truth and falsehood can easily interchange.

Cast and Characters

• Mario Casas – Adrián Doria: A successful businessman and the central figure of the case.
• Bárbara Lennie – Laura Vidal: Adrián’s lover and the murder victim.
• Ana Wagener – Virginia Goodman: A veteran lawyer and expert in taking statements.
• San Yélamos – Sonia: A supporting character.
• José Coronado – Tomás Garrido: The father of Daniel, who died in the car crash.
• Francesc Orella – Félix Leiva: Adrián’s lawyer.
• Cristian Valencia – Young hotel staff (pareja joven hotel chico)
• Paco Tous – Driver character (Conductor)

Awards and Nominations

The film has been recognized in several international film festivals:

• Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film (2017):
• Nominated for Thriller Competition (Oriol Paulo)
• Portland International Film Festival (2017):
• Nominated for Best Narrative Feature
• Winner of the Audience Award in the “Best of PIFF After Dark Sidebar” category
• Ranked 4th overall in audience voting
• Gaudí Awards (2017):
• Nominated for Best Film Editing (Jaume Martí)
• Yoga Awards (2018):
• Winner of Worst Spanish Film (Oriol Paulo)

Box Office

With an estimated budget of €4 million, the film grossed $31,191,910 worldwide.

Significance

The Invisible Guest stands out as a film in which Oriol Paulo serves both as writer and director. With its crime and suspense-driven narrative, the film engages viewers in a process of interrogation that continually challenges the credibility of the characters. As a Spanish production, it has received attention at international festivals, won audience awards, and provoked varied reactions.