Review of Uno - A Colombian Thriller About a Woman in Search of the Truth

Review of Uno: A Colombian thriller about a woman in search of the truth. This debut film featured American actors James Gilbert and Rachel Blanchard.

For several years now, I’ve been saying that Colombian cinema needs to produce more commercial films—diverse stories across various genres that draw audiences to theaters purely for entertainment, as Hollywood productions do. Audiences should be motivated to watch them after seeing just the trailer, not for the awards they’ve won—something that only truly matters to the industry or seasoned cinephiles, unless that recognition is an Oscar. I’ve lamented the absence of Jaime Osorio Márquez (1975-2021) or the “escape” of other directors into the world of TV series, from which they often take a long time to return. Many have turned to genre films, such as Andi Baiz, the Orozco brothers Juan Felipe and Carlos Esteban, or Klych López, to name a few. There are notable titles in this area, but consistency has been lacking.

Uno, the debut feature by Julio César, answers this call for local cinema that connects easily with audiences, offering a good film—a story that moves away from what viewers usually perceive as familiar topics (mafia bosses, misery porn), with high production values, strong performances, and substance-filled entertainment.

The story begins with a woman sitting in a chair, crying. There are memories of a lake and a boat. We later learn that she’s in a hospital recovering from an injury, and she is handed the belongings of her husband and son. The protagonist of this story, Esmeralda, returns home to find her family reduced to ashes. In the first seven minutes, this is all we know, and unraveling the terrible tragedy she faces becomes the film’s driving force.

With nothing to lose, little desire to keep living, and struggling alone with her painful grief, Esmeralda decides to stay behind to uncover who killed her family and why, with the help of a private investigation. Her partner was a foreigner (James Gilbert), a senior executive at a Canadian multinational who had come to change the face of La Alameda, a wealthy, beautiful, and mining-exploited area, and, incidentally, propose an eco-friendly tourist project. Her investigation leads her to Joaquín (Juan Pablo Urrego), a farmer, the son of one of the family’s collaborators, who knows the region well. He is part of a group of locals practicing artisanal mining to survive and is aware of the dangers unleashed by gold. Esmeralda will rely on him to access the community's hidden history.

Uno is one of those films that gradually reveals information. Even the name of the protagonist is only revealed after 15 minutes, and from start to finish, the story is told through Esmeralda’s perspective. The narrative never leaves her, meaning the film avoids subplots and focuses entirely on this character, letting viewers experience the drama of a woman who has lost her two most beloved ones, as well as the suspense and action typical of thrillers.

While many characters come and go, Uno feels like a one-hander film, with the weight of the story entirely on Marcela Mar (Satanás, La cara oculta, Entre tú y milagros, Mi bestia), who delivers undoubtedly the best performance of her career. The actress carries the film with strength, realism, naturalness, and many nuances, navigating the highs and lows, emotions, and pacing of the film. She moves swiftly and subtly from being a deeply saddened wife to a brave woman determined to uncover the truth behind the crime. In this sense, Julio César took an important risk but found the right professional actress for the role.

Another aspect the director handles skillfully, which has often been a headache in many productions with international potential, is the language of the foreign characters, having them interact in their own languages without causing confusion or distraction. However, one area where the film falls short is in the intensity and number of action sequences, as well as the lack of wider shots, which are likely limited in number, duration, and spectacle due to budget constraints.

Commercial cinema is often demonized, and when local films with this ambition emerge, people try to force thematic weight and moral lessons that aren’t there. The greatest strength of Uno is that it’s simply (and that’s a good thing) a thriller about hidden secrets, ambition, corruption, and betrayal, that aligns with the global trend in recent years of giving female characters courageous, challenging, and multifaceted roles.

Go to the theater and enjoy a good time with our Colombian cinema!

Technical Details

Director: Julio César
Screenplay: Juliana Ospina
Genre: Thriller
Duration: 89 minutes
Produced by: Simón Brand, Rachel Blanchard
Production Companies: Clover Studios, Imaginer Films
General Producer: Laura Franco Franco
Cast: Marcela Mar, Juan Pablo Urrego
Editing: Andrés Quaranta
Music: Camilo Posada
Cinematography: Pablo Tobón Gallo
Production Design: Camila Agudelo
Country: Colombia
Year: 2024

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