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The Stranger

Play trailer 1:54 Poster for The Stranger Apr 2026 2h 0m Drama Crime Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 42 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
In French Algeria, Meursault drifts through life and love with mysterious detachment. When he stands accused of murdering an Arab man, indifference is his only alibi in François Ozon's fresh take on Albert Camus's classic novel.

Critics Reviews

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Bilge Ebiri New York Magazine/Vulture 2d
The Stranger, it turns out, is a story for our times, which makes this lovely new version doubly welcome. Go to Full Review
Kyle Smith Wall Street Journal 2d
Mr. Ozon both honors his material and reinvigorates it. Taking a tale that now seems as though it came from another world, he has illuminated its timeless provocations. Go to Full Review
Jeannette Catsoulis New York Times 3d
Lightening any philosophical weight, Ozon adds an unexpected dash of homoeroticism and even (whether deliberate or not) some humor. Go to Full Review
Charles Johnston Spectrum Culture 52m
An alluring adaptation and deeply engaging character study that recreates Algiers in the late ‘30s in exquisite detail. Go to Full Review
Stephen A. Russell Orion's Shoulder (Substack) 1d
Ozon’s sun-kissed reverie reengages his mercurial Summer of 85 star, Benjamin Voisin, as the unbothered, angular in shape and spirit shipping clerk, Meursault ... it’s a tantalisingly opaque Rorschach. Go to Full Review
Armond White National Review 2d
Visconti and Mastroianni stuck to the lost man’s withdrawal and disaffection -- the mystery that always made Camus’s story compelling. Yet, for Ozon, it dissolves into stylistic affectation. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Michael 2d Great retells by of Camus’s novel. Acting was superb and I am a huge Ozon fan. See more Runa R @runa.r 2d Interesting film, and a good portrayal of Camus’ character, showing us what it means to accept reality as it is, without adhering to any rules. Benjamin Voisin is excellent in the role. See more Stephen C @bob25009 2d Success in 2 hours. In French with English subtitles. See more dlma1 M @dlma1 Dec 25 I saw this one at the AFI Film Festival in Hollywood. French film of Camus's existentialist novel about an apathetic Frenchman whose total indifference to life causes tragic results. Very well acted by the handsome Benjamin Voisin in the titular role. The rest of the cast provides good support. Direction is adequate and the period recreations are very good. The film follows the novel very well and comes recommended for fans of the novel. 7/10. See more Rémi V @kernel_33 Dec 17 A very faithful and accomplished adaptation, but too self-conscious to truly carry the viewer away. One may thus regret a languid, somewhat slow pace which, rather than fascinating and adding depth, tends to give the film a self-conscious quality—aware of its own merits and seemingly aiming for masterpiece status and the awards ceremonies that might accompany it. Crushed by the mythology of the book, the film becomes overbearing, stifling both discourse and emotion. Too theoretical and lacking visceral power, it is not the masterpiece it dreams of being. A shame, though it remains a very solid work and well worth seeing on the big screen. See more Talal T @RT50568091 Nov 18 L’Étranger" is a hypnotic mix of chaos, heat, and existential coldness. The film captures the clash between French modernity and Maghrebi atmosphere perfectly — sun, sand, silence, and detachment. The taboo-breaking scenes add rawness rather than shock value. Watching it alone made the experience hit deeper: it felt empty, intense, and strangely beautiful at the same time. Not completely flawless, but almost. A film that lingers in your mind long after leaving the cinema. See more Read all reviews
The Stranger

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Movie Info

Synopsis In French Algeria, Meursault drifts through life and love with mysterious detachment. When he stands accused of murdering an Arab man, indifference is his only alibi in François Ozon's fresh take on Albert Camus's classic novel.
Director
François Ozon
Producer
François Ozon
Screenwriter
François Ozon
Distributor
Music Box Films
Production Co
Gaumont, FOZ, France 2 Cinéma
Genre
Drama, Crime
Original Language
French
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 3, 2026, Limited
Runtime
2h 0m