The Stranger

Australian crime dramas have always kept me on edge despite their knack for the implication of violence rather than actually showing it on the big screen. Wright's peculiar style of narration, unraveling the story in a somewhat unconventional style, actually amplifies the impact the story leaves on the audience.

As for the score and cinematography, a better job couldn't have been possibly done as the atmospheric style totally suits the storyline.

Even though Joel Edgerton delivers an acceptable performance as a character living a dual life, one must admit that it is Sean Harris who carries the whole movie with his nuanced yet powerhouse delivery.

One tiny bit of criticism: I am sure they could have come up with a much better and more intriguing title than "The Stranger".

I've recently watched a bunch of low budget horror and thriller films due to the fact that we're in October right now, but one slugfest after another brought me to The Stranger.

I had planned to watch this as soon as it released on Netflix as I trust Joel Edgerton's film choices more than most others, but I wasn't expecting it to be this dark. It really is a dreadful ride of two depressing hours with zero light in sight. Perfectly acted, Sean Harris does a wonderful job and as more and more of his character is revealed; his acting becomes all that more intriguing.

A really good film but not one I will rewatch a lot. Great ending in particular though.

I knew I'd like this film the moment I saw it on the 'coming soon' tab on Netflix.

Sean Harris is superb. This guy plays creepy characters better than anyone.

Joel Edgerton also brilliant.

The atmosphere throughout was perfect.

Gorgeous cinematography and a great soundtrack, the end credits auto skipped and I had to restart and fast forward to hear the end soundtrack so I could take it all in.

This is my type of film and I'll definitely be on the lookout for films from this director in the future.

I understand this film isn't for everyone, but its current rating of 6.6 is a joke to be honest.

A solid 8.

The most noticeable thing about this slow-burn Aussie crime drama is how it tonally wavers yet never loosens its chokehold on the viewers. There were moments where I thought The Stranger was going to take a psychological horror route, but then it's quick to revert to its drama-thriller backdrop. The first act doesn't give away a lot, with both Edgerton and Harris coming across as strangers we're trying to dissect.

I thought the film came into form in the second act, when some secrets begin to unfurl. As opposed to the sketch we get of his character (by way of the investigation scenes), Sean Harris puts up a restrained performance that is strangely satisfying and gets under your skin. Edgerton is also really good, but I'd say the film scores when the spotlight is on Harris.

It's a slow-burn thriller which discusses violence but rarely shows it. Most of the details (and reveals) are expository in nature, so it'd totally depend on whether you enjoy films that pick the non-scenic route. I'm pretty sure Kate Kyriacou's book which the film bases itself on, is incredible to read.

A very beautiful film with a strong atmosphere and a measured rhythm, where a policeman infiltrates a community of thugs to track down a child killer. Joel Edgerton is this policeman, who lives in permanent stress, illustrated with his scenes of his family life, that is to say with his son, of whom he has the custody from time to time. But undercover cop and father life are not easy. The one he tracks is Sean Harris, in a subtle interpretation, to draw a character on which it is hard to have a psychological grip. The plot and the script work perfectly the subject: during the whole film, we wonder if he is the killer wanted for these murders of children. The last quarter will give us the explanations.

Thomas M. Wright signs a film that has its own rhythm, its dense climates (settings, photography, music), far from any narrative and technical hysteria. He takes his time to film the sequences over time.

The film is carried by its two main actors, in interpretations all in subtlety, by small touches, their characters always remaining mysterious, and maintaining the interest of the spectator and the curiosity for the continuation. The spectator is constantly wondering how the story will evolve. The work of Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris makes us perceive a constant tension. Their characters seem always ready to cross the limit, and provoke a permanent tension on the whole film.

Superb exercise of style.