MOVIE REVIEW – How much would you trust a stranger? That’s the question explored in Netflix’s The Stranger, which begins with a chance encounter when two men strike up a conversation on a bus. Their stories soon become intertwined when Henry (Sean Harris), a lonely drifter with a mysterious past, befriends Paul (Steve Mouzakis), who may offer him the opportunity of a lifetime.

Of course, it’s not that simple, but the dimly lit bus and the atmospheric scenes that follow set the scene for a brooding thriller full of suspense before we even realise what’s going on. Soon Mark (Joel Edgerton), a friend of Paul’s, arrives with a job offer for Henry, which isn’t entirely legal.

A big twist right at the beginning

We may know very little about Henry, but even less about Mark. Indeed, the first part of The Stranger draws us into the experience as passengers, and we tag along with Henry on the journey. Director Thomas M. Wright deftly navigates the shadows of rural Australia as both Henry and we, the audience, try to figure out what’s going on.

But as soon as The Stranger pulls you into the story, suddenly, everything does a 180.

We soon discover exactly what’s going on as it dramatically shifts the perspective from Henry to his new best friend, Mark. Thanks to this twist, Edgerton plays one of the most defining roles of his career to date.

Based on real events

The Stranger is largely based on a true story: in 2003, an Australian child was kidnapped and brutally murdered, and the Australian police went to extraordinary, and in many ways, unusual lengths to bring the killer to justice, and the film tells much of the same story. Edgerton brilliantly portrays the terrible inner grind as he slowly befriends the devil, while glimpses into the character’s real-life show a very different side of the man. Mark, as it turns out, is an undercover cop who walks a fine line between insanity and complete nervous breakdown, almost losing himself as he becomes a seemingly excellent pal for Henry to confide in. How he reconciles these two identities clearly causes him great pain, and Edgerton delivers this subtly and naturally.

Mark, of course, has to do his best to disguise perfectly that he is a criminal, but the disguise goes too far and slowly destroys his personal life and his relationship with his child. As the unintended side effects begin to emerge, it is clear that Mark has gone too far. Edgerton’s peculiar masculine paranoia keeps the viewer on edge as it becomes clear that the protagonist is becoming increasingly alien to himself.

Tension at its best

Just piecing this whole story together is a real treat. Highly effective, fast cuts heighten the tension even further as we learn more about Henry’s murky past details. The use of sound is also incredibly clever. At one point, the film’s sound changes noticeably, becoming mechanical and noisy… and that’s when we realise that we hear the scene through a hidden microphone worn by one of the policemen.

There are many such clever tricks throughout the film – slowed-down sound clips and sudden cuts that immediately reveal when someone is lying. Wright uses all the tools at his disposal to keep the tension constant despite the apparent monotony of events, and it works brilliantly.

Sean Harris is truly creepy

Alongside Edgerton, the other brilliant performance comes from Sean Harris, who plays the character of Henry brilliantly. Harris portrays Henry with a constantly unsettling quietness, whose behaviour, hidden beneath the surface, harbours a terrible rage. He was an excellent choice for the role, as Harris is an odd, quirky character to begin with, and that fact alone elevates his acting tenfold.

Despite Henry’s violent past, Wright resolutely avoids the sight of blood and gore, focusing instead on the constant, oppressive darkness surrounding Henry and Mark. They may be on very different sides of the law, but there’s a disturbing similarity between the two, a similarity that Mark is clearly struggling with.

You rarely see a thriller like this

The Stranger is a surprisingly complex thriller that adds a stylish twist to the formula. The well-constructed, almost palpable tension is thoroughly ratcheted up by creepy sound effects – despite the seemingly slow-moving events. As in most films based on true stories, it makes you wonder how much of it is true. Edgerton gives the best performance of his career alongside Harris. The latter also delivers an outstanding performance in his character, partly out of routine and partly based on his personality.

However much of it is true, The Stranger presents a darkly realistic story of a police operation that may have gone too far and of a dishevelled, neurotic undercover cop struggling not to lose himself completely. It is typical of the brilliantly depressing, bloody professional and extremely dark thriller that will not let go for days.

-BadSector-