Stranger by the Lake

Name: Stranger by the Lake
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Released: January 24, 2014
Duration: 97 min
Rating: 82

2014

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 26 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 75 Ratings

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6.5

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6.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 75 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Strand Releasing | Release Date: January 24, 2014 | Not Rated

Summary: Frank (Pierre Deladonchamps) spends his summer days hopelessly searching for companionship at a popular cruising spot on the shores of a lake in rural France. One day, he meets Michel (Christophe Paou), an attractive yet darkly mysterious man and falls blindly in love. When a death occurs, Frank and Michel become the primary suspects butFrank (Pierre Deladonchamps) spends his summer days hopelessly searching for companionship at a popular cruising spot on the shores of a lake in rural France. One day, he meets Michel (Christophe Paou), an attractive yet darkly mysterious man and falls blindly in love. When a death occurs, Frank and Michel become the primary suspects but they choose to ignore the dangers and instead continue to engage in their passionate and potentially lethal relationship. [Strand Releasing]… Expand

Director: Alain Guiraudie

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 97 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Empire Liz Beardsworth

Feb 17, 2014

Beautifully crafted, sinister, frightening, erotic and thought-provoking, Alain Guiraudie’s multi-faceted Cannes triumph is already one of the most provocative, intriguing films of the year. Read full review

100

Adam Nayman

Jan 16, 2014

Spare, steely, sexually explicit in a way that transcends mere provocation, Stranger by the Lake is vital cinema. Read full review

Bilge Ebiri

Jan 24, 2014

The mystery may be resolved, but the suspense and uncertainty remain. And so, Guiraudie ends his film on a cold, almost cruel note of existential solitude that just might, if you let it, break your heart. Read full review

Jordan Mintzer

Sep 15, 2013

Stranger by the Lake invites you into its alluring and peaceful world, only to gradually uncover the darkness beneath it. Read full review

Kevin Harley

Feb 18, 2014

Sun, sex, psychosis, skinny-dipping: it sounds like genre tat, but Guiraudie’s dark, droll study of a risky attraction upends expectations. It plays by stealth, but its sly grip is sure. Read full review

Peter Keough

Feb 20, 2014

What Stranger by the Lake lacks in suspense and back story it makes up for in atmosphere: It’s a subtle exercise in the pathetic fallacy. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Feb 6, 2014

Stranger by the Lake has no rating, but if it had, it would earn an NC-17 ten times over. Read full review

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User Reviews

VinceM

Feb 11, 2014

This film shows sensitive insight and great artistic expression as the characters develop and the plot unfolds. The writer and director really understand many aspects of gay life as the three main characters, Frank, Michel and Henri search for more than sex - they want understanding, loveThis film shows sensitive insight and great artistic expression as the characters develop and the plot unfolds. The writer and director really understand many aspects of gay life as the three main characters, Frank, Michel and Henri search for more than sex - they want understanding, love and commitment. But, the sexual drive wins out because of their deep seated loneliness and the difficulties and complexities of relationships. Frank is obsessed and infatuated with the rugged and cool Michel and overlooks the serious warnings for his own safety. Powerful, gripping film, extraordinary in it's tenderness and insight.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MarkAngel

Jan 27, 2014

It's hard not to admire when they make a movie so formally perfect. Inspecting the darker aspects of being gay, harmoniously tangling desire, lust, danger and death while building on Aristotelian's unity of space and time, the director has crafted a composition nothing short of majestic.It's hard not to admire when they make a movie so formally perfect. Inspecting the darker aspects of being gay, harmoniously tangling desire, lust, danger and death while building on Aristotelian's unity of space and time, the director has crafted a composition nothing short of majestic. Yet, the film remains remote and distant and overly intellectual with obscuring symbolic aesthetics (which gets even more confusing as the film progresses), failing to provide any fresh perspective for personal interpretation. This inevitably will result in some silly readings of the film .… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

FleshWorld

Feb 2, 2014

It's a good movie with some intriguing thriller elements to it, but I'm getting tired of these films that don't have an ending. Sure, there are two or three ways the thing could go at the final frame, but you've got to pick one, writer & director! It undercuts a quality film. Not choosingIt's a good movie with some intriguing thriller elements to it, but I'm getting tired of these films that don't have an ending. Sure, there are two or three ways the thing could go at the final frame, but you've got to pick one, writer & director! It undercuts a quality film. Not choosing is half-assed.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

foxgrove

Jan 24, 2014

Here we have a film that is constantly intriguing as it unfolds. A careful build up observes the characters in minute detail and predictability is kept at bay. I thought I knew exactly where events were heading only to have the rug pulled from under me towards the end. Unfortunately, it isHere we have a film that is constantly intriguing as it unfolds. A careful build up observes the characters in minute detail and predictability is kept at bay. I thought I knew exactly where events were heading only to have the rug pulled from under me towards the end. Unfortunately, it is with the ending that I take issue. The story becomes more unbelievable as it progresses, silly even, and the last scenes are very unsatisfactory. Finally, I was left questioning exactly what had transpired. The look of the film is gorgeous with the lake itself providing a great backdrop to the action (so to speak). However, the unwary should be informed that there are scenes of male nudity and explicit sex.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

davfit

Oct 16, 2014

Interesting ..Porn or not... Well shot.... Characters.. all depressed gay men ? why would someone put themselves in harms way ...for Sex... Love .. It took some risks bringing hardcore sex to a film which was a shock ..There's Reality in this film ..which was spot on..It certainly keeps youInteresting ..Porn or not... Well shot.... Characters.. all depressed gay men ? why would someone put themselves in harms way ...for Sex... Love .. It took some risks bringing hardcore sex to a film which was a shock ..There's Reality in this film ..which was spot on..It certainly keeps you thinking and holds you in, even I thought of turning it off..What really bugged me was the Detective looking for a murderer in the dark no less.. alone and no gun..why.... but I admit it left a impact.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ScribeHard

Jul 7, 2014

One person finding themselves in love with a murderer is as old as moviemaking itself, but with Stranger by the Lake, Guiraudie finds a new and captivating way to present that tale. By the end of the first half, I found myself wanting more. Unfortunately, the second half taught me to beOne person finding themselves in love with a murderer is as old as moviemaking itself, but with Stranger by the Lake, Guiraudie finds a new and captivating way to present that tale. By the end of the first half, I found myself wanting more. Unfortunately, the second half taught me to be careful what I wish for.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Alizzi

Mar 2, 2014

Dear Alain Guiraudie, you should be ashamed of yourself, your movie Stranger by the lake, is the most idiotic, uninteresting, full of clichés movie I have ever seen. I refuse to see some sort of geniality in the fact that not even a murder has succeeded in injecting some excitement in theDear Alain Guiraudie, you should be ashamed of yourself, your movie Stranger by the lake, is the most idiotic, uninteresting, full of clichés movie I have ever seen. I refuse to see some sort of geniality in the fact that not even a murder has succeeded in injecting some excitement in the pathetically boring life of the main character who spends his days cruising in the woods by a lake. Did you not learn anything from Hitchcock (Rope, 1948), or from Joseph L. Mankiewicz (Suddenly Last Summer, 1959) or Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, 2005), or Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (I love you Phillip Morris, 2009)? Did they not teach you how to strip of commonplaces a story which involves relationships between men? You really thought that a murder would do that?
I want my money back, £15!!!… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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