El extraño

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.

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.

As "The Stranger " (2022 release from Australia; 116 min) opens, we are introduced to Paul and Henry, 2 strangers who strike up a conversation on an overnight bus drive (think Greyhound). They gain each other's trust, and at Paul's invite, Henry joins him for an unspecified job Paul must do for Mark. "No violence!. Pleads Henry, and he agrees to join us. At this point we are 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the second feature from Australian actor-turned-director Thomas Wright. Almost from the get-go I found something very David Lynch-like about this movie. Yes, nominally it's about a long ago disappearance, likely murder, of a young man. But it's the journey along the way that really matters in this film. I had the hardest time figuring out what was really going on for a long time. BEWARE: it is imperative that you turn on the English subtitles to fully grasp what is happening. I made the mistake of starting without the subtitles and within 10 minutes realized I was missing half the dialogue, if not more. I restarted the movie with subtitles and that turned out to be a life saver. The movie is mysterious all the way up to the end, and I absolutely loved it. The only "star" that I recognized was Joel Edgerton (as Mark), and he was superb. I fully recognize that this movie is not for everyone, as there is not a lot of "action". Instead it's a mystery that reveals itself, layer upon psychological layer.

"The Stranger" premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim. Still it bypassed US theaters altogether, and it started streaming on Netflix not long ago. Netflix suggested it to me based on my viewing habits. Good move Netflix. If you are in the mood for a dark psychological crime drama from Down Under, I'd readily suggest you check this out and draw your own conclusion.

This movie demands constant attention while seemingly nothing is really happening. Two men meet and one, the friend, introduces the other, the Stranger, to an opportunity in a criminal enterprise that looks like a smuggling ring for a black market but nothing seems to come of it. Through out the film there is an intensity to the stranger the exudes menace. As they go about mundane tasks to wipe out traces of some unexplained crime, the stranger is forced to reveal more and more of his past to assure the leaders of the criminal group that he is being forthright with them.

Meanwhile, there are interludes of the friend and his 9-year-old son. Their clearly loving and supportive relationship provides a needed break in the tension and a foil to the horror revealed later.

I don't understand the reviews they complain about the acting. This isn't one of those lightweight comedies or action flicks with two-dimensional characters and catch phrases written expressly for the trailers. It's funny how people swoon over a Marvel movie then complain about movies performed by true character actors following the dramatic vision of inspired writers, a talented cinematographer and director, and fashioned by professional editors.

If you love cinema and appreciate the effort to bring complicated and multi-dimensional characters to life, then this film is a must.

I didn't give ten stars because the sound editing drowned out too many conversations. This is a common problem today; emphasizing the music, which is more often just low base rumbling, to build atmosphere at the expense of delivering audible voice.

I was around 90 minutes into the 'The Stranger' when I finally clicked that I had listened to a podcast about this story back in 2017. It had captivated me back then and it was captivating me again now in movie form. If you are the type that doesn't usually enjoy true stories don't be put off. This one is a doozy.

I wouldn't say it's the most polished film I've seen. The dialogue can be very hard to pick up (partly because of strong Australian accents and partly because of mumbled speech). I actually ended up having to watch it with the Netflix subtitles on, but that was no big deal. I also would've liked some writing at the end of the film to explain what exactly ended up happening in the aftermath.

Weaknesses aside though, the story is strong enough to carry it. I think if I had to pick between the film and the podcast to hear this story I would go with the podcast, simply because you get every single little detail. But make no mistake, this works well as a film and is worth your time. 8/10.