The Stranger (2025)
Adapting Albert Camus' iconic 1942 novella of the same title, François Ozon's The Stranger is a largely faithful imagining of the story of a young man named Meursault (Benjamin Voisin) who spends his days going through life in 1938 Algiers. Suddenly, news drops on Meursault that his mother has passed away and is to be buried. Meursault takes the time to go to the funeral and burial, but remains distant as he doesn't shed a single tear or desire to see his mother's body one last time. In fact, in nearly every situation, good or bad, Meursault remains cold and quiet with an apathy about every twist and turn life has to offer. The day after his mother's funeral, Meursault continues life as normal, going to the local baths and meeting Marie (Rebecca Marder), a young woman Meursault had fallen out of contact with some time ago. The two quickly develop a relationship, but even in this connection, Meursault refuses to give any sign of emotion. The pair gets invited to a beach getaway by Meursault's neighbor, Raymond (Pierre Lottin). As they arrive at the beach, however, paradise turns dark as a group of men who have been following Raymond appear and attack Raymond with a knife. Later, Meursault runs into one of these men again and shoots him multiple times. As Meursault is brought to trial, individuals from all sides poke at him to try and understand not only why he committed the crime, but also what his belief system is behind the unresponsive exterior.
Compared to previous adaptations of the story, Ozon's take on the story adds multiple layers of richness that feel like welcome additions. The black and white cinematography by Manuel Dacosse is spectacular, easily becoming the most impressive collaboration between himself and Ozon. The playful use of lighting is genuinely breathtaking, and even without color, the film brings to life the warmth of the city in a way that is impossible not to get lost in. The sound design and production design also help, creating one of the most believable period settings of the year, with a tactile texture that feels alive. When it comes to setting and presentation, The Stranger is nothing short of intoxicating.
The other main area where Ozon dives deeper is in exploring the inequality of Algiers, as the Arab people become segregated and pushed to the side as the French take over the city. This social dynamic has always been present in the story, as it is an undeniable social force in the crime committed by Meursault. Ozon gives more of a voice to this community, highlighting just how far the city has attacked their ability for safety and justice. It is an acknowledged truth that crime against this population is a fact of life in the city that is not stopping anytime soon. Most French individuals who commit this violence get away with minimal sentencing, adding to the frustration of the struggling population, who are barely getting by.
However, this new depth is quickly undercut by Ozon's otherwise faithfulness to the text. Outside of small changes, such as adding a glimpse of a queer reading to Meursault's petulance and actions, the story remains largely the same, and trying to put this deeper ideology on a foundation not built to support its weight has consequences. While the film is quick to tell the audience about the injustice of the court system, the court case presented goes against this reading, threatening to invalidate this perspective and failing to craft a meaningful dialogue with it.
The film also largely struggles to build or maintain pace or energy. While Meursault must be apathetic, the way the film explores this character, mixed with a nothingness performance by Voisin, creates a character that is simply unengaging to follow. There is no conviction behind his words or tenseness that points to something deeper. The film reinforces that he feels nothing and cares about nothing, which is quite an abrasive character to put at the center of such a slow and already taxing feature. More than being an inherent issue with the original text, it feels like Ozon specifically doesn't have the ability to find a compelling angle to bring this character to life on the big screen.
For those following and trying to engage with the character, the mythos becomes tangled quite quickly. From narrative beats that seemingly go against the final statement by the character, to the confusing conversation between himself and race, to the underbaked queer angle that disappears with a flash, the vision behind this character never appears or reveals itself to be truly worthwhile or justified. This is the biggest area where it feels like Ozon is pulling the film in two directions, one trying to be a faithful adaptation of the book, and one attempting to enrich it with a greater nuance and context. The result of these forces ends up tearing the film in two, never letting it find its footing and singular voice.
Compared to previous adaptations of the story, Ozon's take on the story adds multiple layers of richness that feel like welcome additions. The black and white cinematography by Manuel Dacosse is spectacular, easily becoming the most impressive collaboration between himself and Ozon. The playful use of lighting is genuinely breathtaking, and even without color, the film brings to life the warmth of the city in a way that is impossible not to get lost in. The sound design and production design also help, creating one of the most believable period settings of the year, with a tactile texture that feels alive. When it comes to setting and presentation, The Stranger is nothing short of intoxicating.
The other main area where Ozon dives deeper is in exploring the inequality of Algiers, as the Arab people become segregated and pushed to the side as the French take over the city. This social dynamic has always been present in the story, as it is an undeniable social force in the crime committed by Meursault. Ozon gives more of a voice to this community, highlighting just how far the city has attacked their ability for safety and justice. It is an acknowledged truth that crime against this population is a fact of life in the city that is not stopping anytime soon. Most French individuals who commit this violence get away with minimal sentencing, adding to the frustration of the struggling population, who are barely getting by.
However, this new depth is quickly undercut by Ozon's otherwise faithfulness to the text. Outside of small changes, such as adding a glimpse of a queer reading to Meursault's petulance and actions, the story remains largely the same, and trying to put this deeper ideology on a foundation not built to support its weight has consequences. While the film is quick to tell the audience about the injustice of the court system, the court case presented goes against this reading, threatening to invalidate this perspective and failing to craft a meaningful dialogue with it.
The film also largely struggles to build or maintain pace or energy. While Meursault must be apathetic, the way the film explores this character, mixed with a nothingness performance by Voisin, creates a character that is simply unengaging to follow. There is no conviction behind his words or tenseness that points to something deeper. The film reinforces that he feels nothing and cares about nothing, which is quite an abrasive character to put at the center of such a slow and already taxing feature. More than being an inherent issue with the original text, it feels like Ozon specifically doesn't have the ability to find a compelling angle to bring this character to life on the big screen.
For those following and trying to engage with the character, the mythos becomes tangled quite quickly. From narrative beats that seemingly go against the final statement by the character, to the confusing conversation between himself and race, to the underbaked queer angle that disappears with a flash, the vision behind this character never appears or reveals itself to be truly worthwhile or justified. This is the biggest area where it feels like Ozon is pulling the film in two directions, one trying to be a faithful adaptation of the book, and one attempting to enrich it with a greater nuance and context. The result of these forces ends up tearing the film in two, never letting it find its footing and singular voice.