Dir: Alain Guiraudie | Cast: Pierre Deladonchamps, Christophe Paou, Patrick d’Assumcao, Jerome Chapatte 100´ | French with subtitles |Thriller
Alain Guiraudie’s STRANGER BY THE LAKE makes a lasting impression for decades afterwards. Disturbing and utterly absorbing right up until its enigmatic showdown, the gay thriller may at first appear to have little to offer mainstream audiences. But what develops is a gripping psychodrama with naturalistic performances that feel ‘real’.
Stranger is set in a naturist cruising spot for gay men by a lakeside in southern France. Stripping off on arrival, the men swim and bond with each other; occasionally indulging in explicit sex in the lush vegetation nearby. Guiraudie has captured the sensuality of these torrid encounters enhanced by the natural ambient sounds of nature and sparky, realistic dialogue in a simple narrative structure. The lakeside setting provides an ideal ‘stage’ for the sinister events that gradually emerge.
Handsomely-built but hard-edged Michel (Christophe Paou) is a regular at the hedonistic idyll; parking in the clearing, he swims each day and cruises for casual pick-ups. Is he a homosexual predator or a homophobe exacting revenge on his fellow men for their putative sins of the flesh.? A plot point that adds to the film’s sense of unease.
Guiraudie ramps up the tension by making us rely on body language and patchy dialogue, like in a game of cat and mouse we are drawn further into the intrigue.
Franck (Pierre Deladonchamps) is attracted to Michel like a moth to a flame. An easy-going and pleasant-looking gay, Franck is also open and honest; emotionally quite vulnerable. As Michel has a regular hook-up, Franck strikes up a chatty friendship with Henri (Patrick D’Assumcao), a portly straight guy who is newly single and depressed at spending the August holidays alone. Henri appears dismissive but also fascinated by the cruising activity on the beach. While Franck enjoys the beauty of the sunset one evening, he witnesses Michel drowning a boyfriend, after horseplay in the lake. Rather than quelling Franck’s desire for Michel, the murder seems to enhance his sexual attraction.
Guiraudie captures this essence of danger that often spikes when strong attraction overrides the rational brain. In the quiet calm of the lakeside, a simmering and palpable vide builds from Franck’s attraction to Michel’s sexual allure. Michel is clearly tricky and dangerous, but he fancies him to the point where seduction blocks out reason: offering the ultimate in escapism and the thrill of the unknown.
Guiraudie’s wanted to create a drama that evoked the strong emotion of falling in love passionately, not just having casual sex. His drama is thrilling; leavened by quirky almost humorous moments that prey upon the subconscious. The characters just happen to be gay rather than straight, and the sex feels natural avoiding sensationalism. The police inspector’s remarks show casual disregard for this gay community by the lakeside yet the overall tone is one of intensity, the everyday conversations they indulge in add intelligent and thought-provoking texture to the story. The cast all give performances that feel spontaneous and believable. By turns provocative and sinister, STRANGER meditates on the nature of sexuality, solitude and the power of seduction
The Lakeside setting feels like a jungle where animals prowl around quietly, engaging in atavistic power-play: some hoping to conquer, some hoping to be conquered, some simply enjoying the ritual. Enigmatic, amusing and mesmerising to watch, STRANGER BY THE LAKE is a modern classic MT
SCREENED DURING BFI FLARE 20-30 MARCH 2014 | NOW OUT ON DVD