An undercover cop tries to get closer to a man whom the police believe is the person behind the kidnapping of a young boy that happened many years ago.
“The Stranger” is based on a true story from Australia where the police used a lot of resources to find the kidnapper of a young boy. An undercover cop becomes friends with the suspect, and he introduces the suspect to a criminal organization so that they can work together. However, the criminal organization has some rules all must follow, and one of them is to not keep secrets. So, does the suspect have some dark secrets from the past?
This is a well-acted movie where the creepy Sean Harris plays the suspect. I love this actor; he creeps me out! Joel Edgerton is always solid, and he plays the undercover cop who is trying to get close to the suspect. There’s a scene in the movie that indicates there is some sexual tension between them, which adds an uncomfortable layer to their relationship.
The movie is so dark and gritty. The score is perfect for the dread you feel while watching the movie. It’s a movie that drains the life out of the undercover cop who has a son, and he is starting to become paranoid because of working on this case.
I see that some people feel that the movie is slow and there’s nothing happening here, but don’t listen to them, as they don’t know what they are talking about. Youngsters these days, they aren’t that bright, you know. Don’t hate on them; just feel sad for them since it’s not really their fault. The world is going in the wrong direction.
This isn’t a slow movie. The atmosphere is fantastic, and if you appreciate real movies, the movie’s atmosphere will suck you in and it won’t let you go before the credits appear on the screen. You will see how working on this case is making life hard for the undercover cop because he’s a real human with emotions. The acting is outstanding, and combined with the gritty atmosphere, the movie will hook you in like the fish you are.
There’s just one problem with the movie. The plot can be a little hard to follow at times. I think there are different timelines in the movie, so the two cops who are investigating the case confused me when the movie switched from those two to the undercover cop. I had to stop and rewind the movie to better understand the scenes and the timeline. But I’m not quite sure if there are different timelines, or if the movie tells the story in a choppy way.
If you love crime movies that ooze grit combined with a fitting score and excellent acting, well, look no further. Just watch the movie now!