Albert Camus‘ 1942 novel “L’Étranger” is one of the masterworks of existential literature, an unflinching look at modern alienation, French colonialism, and the ethics of indifference. Now, François Ozon’s new movie adaptation of the book brings the main character Meursault’s absurd plight to the big screen, in vivid black-and-white.
Set in 1940s Algeria, “The Stranger” follows young clerk Meursault in the weeks after his mother’s death, when a deadly altercation with an Arab man on the beach plunges him in a trial that captivates the country.
Here’s an official synopsis for “The Stranger,” courtesy of Music Box Films:
Meursault (Benjamin Voisin) works as a clerk at an office in Algiers during the French colonial occupation. A modest man who keeps to himself, Meursault finds his routine upended by the sudden death of his mother. At her funeral, he faces scrutiny from all corners for his failure to perform his grief. Meursault’s reputation for otherworldly detachment carries over to all aspects of his life, from his tentative romance with Marie (Rebecca Marder) to his indifference to professional advancement. As Meursault gets swept up in a cycle of escalating reprisals among his neighbors, tensions come to a head when he murders an Arab man on the beach. A Frenchman may offer many defenses for shooting an Arab in Algeria, but Meursault’s refusal of excuse or remorse shakes colonial society to its core.
Along with Voisin, “The Stranger” also stars Rebecca Marder, Pierre Lottin, Denis Lavant, and Swann Arlaud.
“The Stranger” is Ozon’s sixth film in as many years, his follow-up to 2024’s “When Fall Is Coming.” Along with directing, the French director adapts Camus’ novel for the screenplay, and also produces the film.
Music Box Films snagged the US distribution rights for “The Stranger” after its world premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival last September. Critics had high scores for the movie on the Lido, with “The Stranger” receiving a theatrical release in France last October.
“The Stranger” hits select theaters on April 3. Watch a new trailer for the film below.
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