The Stranger Movie Review: What is the Secret in the Stranger?

The term “stranger” must be one of the most used words in film titles. The addition of the word itself imparts a sense of mystery and intrigue. It piques your curiosity in the story and prepares you for an engaging encounter on its own.

However, Netflix’s The Stranger subverts all of these expectations. The flavor of mystery and storytelling is fully reimagined for the taste of unique suitors in search of a challenging puzzle to dissect.

In the film, Sean Harris and Joel Edgerton play the villain and the police officer, although these roles are not as straightforward as they initially appear. The film is based on actual events that prompted the largest inquiry into the abduction-related death of a child.

The Stranger uses a deception similar to that of Shutter Island to uncover the truth. Despite being noticeably less dramatic and more heartbreaking, this is the story’s central idea. Paul and Henry (Harris) meet on a bus, and Paul introduces Henry to his boss, Mark (Edgerton), who is a master at making criminals who are attempting to escape reality vanish. However, unbeknownst to Henry, Mark is an undercover agent with the crime unit. From that point on, we see the vastness of the schemes behind the works unravel and consume Henry’s trust, only to deliver him to the punishment he dodged for so many years.

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There is probably nothing simple about the movie. Infrequently the narrative settle on a clear path or response to a question. It always chooses the more difficult route, which entails building volatile, deep relationships between the two guys.

Henry and Mark advance the plot by spending more time together, with a distorted honesty scale bringing them together.

The majority of the background is composed of text and information. The soundscape is dominated by those. In their absence, though, the daily sounds of objects being relocated emanate with monstrous viscosity. Indeed, it is quite minimalist.

The Stranger Movie Review
The Stranger Movie Review

Except for the continual, frightening flapping over the mountain ridge we frequently visit, there is rarely any background music to which one may become used. As a result, even the most mundane sounds, such as a floorboard creaking when half-stepped on, might be overwhelming.

In addition, when you view The Stranger with high-quality headphones, it envelops you thanks to Netflix’s amazing Dolby surround sound and ADS technology rendering.

Given how lengthy the screenplay is, minimalism is a sensible choice. This interaction between the narrative and the audience increases the storytelling experience.

Every minute is meticulously constructed to maintain your interest in the story and the characters at all times. The dialogue has a thin, ephemeral aspect that can be missed in a single second of distraction.

Despite how it feels in the vast vistas, it would be unfair to say that The Stranger lacks a storyline because to the inadvertent manner in which it all comes together in the end.

Long stretches of this film give the impression that it is about the two men bonding and becoming closer, rather than an inquiry into obtaining a confession and solving a decade-old mystery. Ideally, Joel Edgerton the guy and Joel Edgerton the undercover agent should be distinct.

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However, as time passes and Henry reveals more about his life, interests, and personality, the former two grow less disconnected. People in his position are frequently required to maintain the integrity of a hazy line in order to maintain their equilibrium. Sean Harris is a worthy companion to Edgerton, keeping pace with him at all times.

This is what makes The Stranger an intriguing character study and a meaningful struggle for justice. Emotions determine the latter, whilst the tragedy of the human condition determines the former. The Stranger seems to move at a glacial pace despite its patience and creative integrity.

The tone and tenor are easily dislikeable and will not captivate you. They become a challenge for regular viewers who are not satisfied with a slow reveal of the story’s facts through dialogue.

It does not take too long for The Stranger to arrive at its fundamental idea – an undercover squad working hard to find their perpetrator – but it takes its time to acclimatize you to its cinematic universe where trust is waning. Thomas Wright deserves full credit for staying true to his idea and not altering it to make it more digestible.

Where to Watch Online the Stranger Streaming?

Currently, you may stream “The Stranger” on Netflix, Netflix basic with advertisements. The film is now available with subtitles on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and DVD/Blu-ray.

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