The night in Madrid spirals into chaos as a man’s dream collides with a city hungry for adrenaline. Everybody Has a Bad Day marks the directorial debut of Eva Hache, hitting theaters on Friday, January 26. Once known for hosting Noche Hache, she shifts gears and delivers a blistering black comedy that blends audacious humor with a sharp social edge. The project was born when a producer, Alex de la Iglesia, offered a rare chance to direct a feature film, a moment Hache recalls as a brave leap of faith that she could not refuse even if the path felt improbable.
He said, I have a script I want you to direct. It was a bold move, and if he trusted me I would have to take it too. That sentiment, paired with a sense that the moment may never come again, convinced her to step into the unknown. Yet there is a thrill in learning while doing, a feeling she can still hear echoing in her head.
The heroine Sonia, portrayed by Dusty Mother, is a young woman who believes she has everything under control. Her life is framed by an impending moment that will test her in ways she never anticipated. She has spent years preparing for a life structured around a doctoral thesis, a defense in front of the court the next morning, with family and friends watching closely. This night will become a test of courage and resilience that could redefine her entire existence.
No phone. No money. The plan goes awry when a night out to lift a friend’s spirits turns into a cascade of events Sonia never imagined. A simple choice to drink and console someone she cares about opens a door to uncharted territory. It is a decision that will challenge every boundary she has built over 36 years and set a course toward actions she never believed she could take.
As Polvorosa notes, there are moments in a person’s life when something suddenly shifts, prompting a reassessment of what truly satisfies them. The film carries a moral core that invites viewers to reflect on their own lives and consider what they might change if everything felt at stake.
From Scorsese to Tarantino is the tonal guide of the film. The blend of black humor, fast-paced action, and sharp social critique echoes the energy of classic late-night dramas while injecting a vivid Madrid at night with color and life. The director envisioned a vision of the city that bursts with atmosphere, aiming to mirror the exuberant yet dangerous energy that characterizes Tarantino’s influence while keeping a distinctly local flavor. The result is a film that feels both cinematic in scope and intimate in its character work.
The lead actress, Ana Polvorosa, stands at the center of this night of reckoning. In close collaboration with Hache, she helps shape a story that feels both playful and ferociously honest. The director speaks of relying on intuition, letting the films that moved and inspired her guide the ultimate vision. The result is a work that leans into the cinematic joy of black comedy, where exaggerated moments of violence are used to puncture fear and reveal a deeper humor about life’s worst days. The balance between laughter and tension is deliberate and sharp, giving the film its distinctive rhythm.
The production faced a daunting array of decisions, and the responsibility of coordinating a large crew and a complex shoot weighed heavily on Hache. She admits that the scale and logistics of bringing the project to life represented a new level of pressure she had not experienced in previous roles, yet the challenge was also fuel for her creative drive. The experience highlighted how directing allows a storyteller to sculpt not only scenes but also the emotional terrain of every character in the ensemble.
The director later found joy in post-production, discovering tools and techniques that she had not fully understood before. She learned to use color, music, and pacing to enhance the film’s mood, turning a once-intimidating project into something that felt almost dreamlike as it came together. The completion of the movie carried a sense of surreal achievement, a feeling that this experience might linger beyond the final cut.
Inevitably, there is a longing to repeat the journey. There were days of pure happiness on set and others of uncertainty, yet the sense of purpose remained strong. When the final frames were locked, a question lingered: had all the elements been brought together in a way that felt true to the character’s arc and the film’s overall mood? The answer came through careful assembly, the kind that can only emerge after months of collaboration and risk.
In retrospect, the director recognizes how enjoyable and instructive the entire process was. She found that the early fear gave way to discovery, and the experience of guiding the film through its visual and emotional beats left a lasting impression. What started as a bold experiment grew into a vibrant cinematic piece that captures the essence of a night when everything can change in a heartbeat, and the courage to face that change becomes the film’s core message.