From Spanish director Oriol Paulo, who gave us El Cuerpo in 2012, comes another intense thriller, The Invisible Guest, a tale of betrayal, adultery, murder, and cover-ups. Like El Cuerpo, the narrative unfolds through a series of flashbacks.

Celebrity entrepreneur, husband, and father Adrián Doria (Mario Casas) stands accused of murdering his former mistress, Laura (Bárbara Lennie). While the two were staying in a remote hotel room, an unseen assailant allegedly entered, knocked Doria unconscious, and murdered a terrified Laura. At the request of his personal attorney, Félix (Francesc Orella), veteran criminal lawyer Virginia Goodman (Blanca Martínez) agrees to defend him.

Virginia arrives at Adrián’s apartment, making it clear that she is a no-nonsense professional. She tells Doria they have just three hours to construct his defense and emphasizes the importance of honesty. Adrián then begins narrating the events leading up to the murder.

A few weeks earlier, under the guise of a business trip to Paris, Adrián was secretly spending time with Laura at a cabin. On the day of their departure, they overslept and left later than planned. While driving back, they decided to take a detour to save time. During their journey, a deer suddenly appeared in their path. Adrián swerved to avoid it, causing his BMW to collide with another car in the opposite lane. The other vehicle skidded off the road and came to a halt.

Adrián and Laura stopped their car to check on the situation. Laura discovered that the driver of the other car, a young man, was dead. Just then, another car approached. Quick-thinking Laura took charge, instructing Adrián to follow her lead.

The approaching driver stopped to investigate, and Laura pretended to be the driver of the other car. The couple staged a fake conversation about exchanging insurance information, convincing the passerby to leave. Once alone, they devised a plan to cover their tracks.

Adrián was tasked with disposing of the young man’s car. He drove it to a nearby lake and pushed it in, while Laura waited in her car for a tow truck. During this time, an elderly man named Tomás (José Coronado) arrived and questioned Laura. She claimed to have hit a deer and explained she was waiting for assistance. Tomás, claiming to be an engineer familiar with BMWs, offered to help. He towed Laura’s car and invited her to his home while he repaired it.

At Tomás’s house, Laura met his wife, Elvira. To her shock, Laura realized the young man killed in the crash was Daniel, Tomás and Elvira’s son. Unaware of his son’s death, Tomás became concerned when Elvira mentioned she hadn’t been able to reach Daniel.

After the repairs, Laura hurriedly left and reunited with Adrián, who shared his location via phone. (On a side note, Spain must have excellent Wi-Fi coverage, even in remote, wooded areas!)

Tomás grew suspicious when he noticed Laura adjusting the driver’s seat before leaving, contradicting her earlier claim that the car was hers. He reported the car’s license plate to the police, which led them to Adrián. When confronted, Adrián learned Laura had stolen Daniel’s ID after the crash and used it to access and embezzle funds from his bank account. Laura then threatened to expose Adrián if she was implicated.

At a public event, a distraught Tomás confronted Adrián, begging him to reveal the location of Daniel’s body, as he was certain his son was dead.

In the present, Virginia hypothesizes that Tomás may have been the blackmailer who later murdered Laura. The story builds to a shocking climax, filled with twists and unexpected revelations. Can Virginia craft a strong defense for Adrián? Is Tomás the vengeful father responsible for Laura’s death? Is Adrián being entirely truthful, or is he hiding more secrets? Could the blackmailer be the driver who passed by the accident scene? These questions are answered as the plot unfolds.

The Invisible Guest is gripping from start to finish. The cast delivers stellar performances, with José Coronado particularly standing out as Tomás, and Blanca Martínez excelling as the sharp and unyielding Virginia Goodman. Fans of Oriol Paulo’s previous work, El Cuerpo, will notice thematic similarities, though the plots differ. Without revealing spoilers, both films share a central message about guilt, deception, and justice.

With its excellent cinematography and intense storytelling, The Invisible Guest makes for a compelling one-time watch. Its intriguing plot has inspired several remakes, including versions in Chinese, Korean, and three Indian languages: Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada. However, for me, the original remains unmatched.