The Stranger Review: A Contemporary Reimagining of Camus’ Classic

François Ozon’s adaptation of Albert Camus’s novella *L’Étranger* (The Stranger) transports the story to 1940s French Algeria, presenting a vivid yet restrained portrayal of its alienated protagonist, Meursault. The film is a stark, beautifully crafted black-and-white exploration of empire, race, and the absurdity of existence. Meursault, played by Benjamin Voisin, remains emotionally detached throughout his life, including the death of his mother, his disinterested relationship with a woman named Marie, and his involvement with morally questionable characters. The movie explores the seeming indifference of Meursault, who commits a senseless murder on a hot beach, an act that is more a reflection of colonial arrogance than existential rebellion. Through subtle changes from the original text, Ozon critiques the racial and imperial dynamics of Camus’s work, giving more voice to the previously voiceless Algerians in the story. However, these changes come at the cost of losing some of the novel’s raw, heartless impact. In the end, Ozon’s version reimagines Meursault’s existential crisis as one rooted in the oppressive and racially charged context of imperialism.