The Stranger. He has a romance with Marie (Rebecca Marder) and deals with his violent neighbor, Raymond (Pierre Lottin). The man who Meursalt shot on the beach in Algeria happens to be the brother of Raymond's lover, Djemila (Hajar Bouzaouit). Writer/director François Ozon has made a spellbinding, engrossing and provocative adaptation of the novel by Albert Camus. The screenplay covers a lot of ground within the life of Meursault, but it never feels overstuffed or undercooked. Meursault had recently attended the funeral of his estranged mother, but showed no emotion there---a fact that's used against him by the prosecutor during the trial. The Stranger isn't a whodunit because the audience already knows that Meursault had shot the Arab man. Did he do it in self defense? Can he prove it? Those are intriguing questions, but what's far more interesting is the character study of Meursault during the days leading up to the murder that he's on trial for. He's complex and mysterious which makes him all the more compelling as a character.
Fortunately, Ozon provides enough of a glimpse into the heart, mind and soul of Meursault for the audience to care about him and feel empathy toward him. Benjamin Voisin gives a charismatic and heartfelt performance which, every now and then, opens that window into Meursault's heart, mind and soul. The supporting cast including Rebecca Marder and Pierre Lottin aloso get a chance to shine. Moreover, the black-and-white cinematography adds some visual style with many breathtaking shots that make the film feel even more cinematic. At a running time of 2 hours and 2 minutes, The Stranger opens at Angelika Film Center and at Film at Lincoln Center via Music Box Films.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
