The most noticeable thing about this slow-burn Aussie crime drama is how it tonally wavers yet never loosens its chokehold on the viewers. There were moments where I thought The Stranger was going to take a psychological horror route, but then it's quick to revert to its drama-thriller backdrop. The first act doesn't give away a lot, with both Edgerton and Harris coming across as strangers we're trying to dissect.
I thought the film came into form in the second act, when some secrets begin to unfurl. As opposed to the sketch we get of his character (by way of the investigation scenes), Sean Harris puts up a restrained performance that is strangely satisfying and gets under your skin. Edgerton is also really good, but I'd say the film scores when the spotlight is on Harris.
It's a slow-burn thriller which discusses violence but rarely shows it. Most of the details (and reveals) are expository in nature, so it'd totally depend on whether you enjoy films that pick the non-scenic route. I'm pretty sure Kate Kyriacou's book which the film bases itself on, is incredible to read.
I thought the film came into form in the second act, when some secrets begin to unfurl. As opposed to the sketch we get of his character (by way of the investigation scenes), Sean Harris puts up a restrained performance that is strangely satisfying and gets under your skin. Edgerton is also really good, but I'd say the film scores when the spotlight is on Harris.
It's a slow-burn thriller which discusses violence but rarely shows it. Most of the details (and reveals) are expository in nature, so it'd totally depend on whether you enjoy films that pick the non-scenic route. I'm pretty sure Kate Kyriacou's book which the film bases itself on, is incredible to read.