The French film L'inconnu du lac was shown in the U.S. with the title Stranger by the Lake (2013). It was written and directed by Alain Guiraudie.
Pierre Deladonchamps plays Franck, a handsome young man cruising at a lakeside resort. He meets Michel, played by Christophe Paou, and the sexual chemistry is there.
No problem--this film is about cruising, and it depicts men having sex with men. The problem arises when Franck witnesses what is almost certainly a murder. He obviously should be extremely troubled by this, but he's not. At least, he's not troubled enough to change his behavior.
A police inspector, investigating the case, is as confused by this behavior as I was. He says something like, "You men were cruising, and yesterday there was a murder here, and today you're still cruising as if nothing had happened."
So . . . this is a puzzling film, but not a typical mystery. (We know who the murderer is because we see the murder when Franck sees it. The mystery is why Franck doesn't do anything about what he has seen.)
This strange film is somewhat disturbing. It's fine if you're OK with watching graphic sex and truly risky behavior. If either of these things bothers you, pass on this movie.
We saw the movie at the Little Theatre as part of Image Out--the Rochester LGBT Film Festival. It will work well on the small screen.
Pierre Deladonchamps plays Franck, a handsome young man cruising at a lakeside resort. He meets Michel, played by Christophe Paou, and the sexual chemistry is there.
No problem--this film is about cruising, and it depicts men having sex with men. The problem arises when Franck witnesses what is almost certainly a murder. He obviously should be extremely troubled by this, but he's not. At least, he's not troubled enough to change his behavior.
A police inspector, investigating the case, is as confused by this behavior as I was. He says something like, "You men were cruising, and yesterday there was a murder here, and today you're still cruising as if nothing had happened."
So . . . this is a puzzling film, but not a typical mystery. (We know who the murderer is because we see the murder when Franck sees it. The mystery is why Franck doesn't do anything about what he has seen.)
This strange film is somewhat disturbing. It's fine if you're OK with watching graphic sex and truly risky behavior. If either of these things bothers you, pass on this movie.
We saw the movie at the Little Theatre as part of Image Out--the Rochester LGBT Film Festival. It will work well on the small screen.