Guiraudie’s Stranger by the Lake is one of the best films of 2013, even though its distribution has mostly been limited to film festivals. The reason for this is the film’s abundant and open portrayal of homosexuality, as well as the director’s signature style of ambiguity in content: is the film a psychological drama, sex comedy, romance, or dark thriller?
Hitchcock’s influence is undeniably clear in this entirely outdoor-filmed movie, which unfolds at a gay cruising beach somewhere in the French countryside. Franck is looking to reciprocate his feelings and first meets a middle-aged bisexual, Henry, and then a Tom Selleck-type character, Michel. Soon, Franck, the innocent and love-struck character, becomes a suspect in a murder. References to other themes from famous films can be found as Franck wrestles with desires and dangers, like in a nightmarish dream.
A certain minimalism creates the same kind of punctuality as the time-framed ten days of the events, and the detective who shows up to snoop around. Beautiful and deceiving, the warm summery atmosphere, the tempting lake, but also loneliness, estrangement, sex, and death…
Timo Malmi