I recently watched The Stranger (L'Étranger), a 2025 French film written and directed by François Ozon. It is based on the famous 1942 novel by Albert Camus, a French-Algerian writer and philosopher.
I found this film unusual, but I enjoyed watching it. It is not the kind of movie that gives you an easy story, clear answers, or a happy ending. Instead, it leaves you with questions about human behavior, life, death, and the meaning of our existence.
A Man Who Does Not React Like Other People
The story takes place in Algeria during the period of French colonial rule. The main character, Meursault, is a young Frenchman who seems emotionally detached from the world around him.
When his mother dies, he does not show the sadness that other people expect. He continues with his ordinary life, including his relationship with a young woman named Marie. He appears to have little interest in career advancement or the ambitions that motivate many people.
Later, Meursault kills an Algerian man on a beach. He is arrested and put on trial. What makes the story especially disturbing is that the court seems concerned not only with the killing but also with Meursault's failure to show the emotions society expects from him.
The film asks us to consider an uncomfortable question: Are people judged only for what they do, or are they also judged for failing to behave as others believe they should?
Why I Found This Film Unusual
One thing that caught my attention was the film's black-and-white photography. Rather than making the story look old-fashioned, it gives the scenes a stark beauty. The bright sun, the sea, the streets of Algiers, and the faces of the characters become part of the storytelling.
The acting is also unusual. Meursault does not express his feelings in the familiar way we expect from a leading character. At times, it is difficult to know what he is thinking. We may feel uncomfortable with him, but we cannot easily look away.
This is not a movie that tells us what to think. It asks us to observe, reflect, and make our own judgments.
I believe that is one reason I enjoyed it. Even at nearly 92, I appreciate a film that challenges me to think rather than simply entertains me.
What Does It Mean for Life to Be Absurd?
Albert Camus is associated with a philosophical idea called the absurd. In simple terms, it describes the conflict between our human desire to find meaning in life and a world that does not always provide clear answers.
We want to understand why good people suffer, why some people die young while others live to an advanced age, and why events sometimes seem to happen without a reason that we can understand.
Camus explored these questions through his writing. Meursault represents an extreme example of a person who does not follow society's usual expectations about grief, love, ambition, and religion.
However, I do not believe that accepting life's uncertainties means that we should stop caring about other people. Nor does the idea that life can seem absurd excuse violence or remove our responsibility for our actions.
The killing at the center of the story remains a serious moral act, regardless of Meursault's feelings or lack of explanation.
My Reflections at Nearly 92
Having lived through almost 92 years, I have experienced a world that has changed enormously. I grew up in the Philippines during World War II, pursued my education, earned a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical chemistry, worked in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and eventually retired from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
I have also experienced the joys and sorrows of family life, including the loss of my beloved wife, Macrine, after more than 63 years of marriage.
These experiences have taught me that life cannot always be explained by logic alone. Science can help us understand many things about the physical world, but it does not answer every question about love, suffering, grief, or the purpose of our existence.
Unlike Meursault, I have found meaning in relationships, memories, service to others, my Catholic faith, and the simple pleasure of continuing to learn. Even now, I enjoy playing bridge, writing my blogs, and exploring new ideas.
I do not claim to understand every mystery of life. At my age, I have become more comfortable admitting that some questions may remain unanswered.
But I still believe that caring for others matters. The kindness we offer, the lives we touch, and the love we share are not made meaningless simply because life is uncertain.
A Catholic Perspective on the Film
As a Catholic, I see an important difference between Camus's philosophical outlook and my own understanding of life.
Camus asks us to confront the possibility that the universe does not provide the answers we seek. Catholic faith, on the other hand, teaches that life has meaning because we are created by God and called to love Him and our neighbors.
That does not mean a person of faith has an explanation for every tragedy. We may pray and still experience grief. We may believe in God's goodness and still struggle to understand suffering. Faith does not eliminate these difficulties.
For me, faith offers a way to live with these unanswered questions without giving up hope.
Meursault's confrontation with a prison chaplain near the end of the story brings this difference into focus. The question is no longer simply whether Meursault has followed society's rules. It becomes a question about death, belief, and whether he can accept a meaning beyond his own immediate experience.
Viewers will disagree about the answers. That is part of what makes the story worth discussing.
Another Question: Whose Story Are We Seeing?
There is also a historical dimension to the film that deserves attention.
The story takes place in colonial Algeria, where French settlers held power over the indigenous Algerian population. The man Meursault kills is not merely a figure in a private tragedy. He is also an Algerian whose life and identity have too often been overlooked in discussions of the original novel.
Ozon's adaptation gives greater attention to the Algerian characters, including the murdered man's sister. This encourages viewers to consider whose experiences are visible and whose voices are neglected.
It reminds us that a story can look very different when we examine it from another person's point of view.
This is a lesson that extends beyond the cinema. In our daily lives, we should be careful not to judge the world entirely through our own experiences. Other people have histories, struggles, and feelings that we may never fully understand.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed The Stranger because it was different from the usual films I watch. It was beautiful to look at, unsettling at times, and full of philosophical questions.
I would not recommend it to everyone who wants a straightforward story or a conventional ending. But for viewers who enjoy films that make them think, it is worth considering.
As I approach my 92nd birthday, I find myself reflecting more often on what gives life meaning. I have no simple formula for answering that question.
Perhaps the lesson I take from this film is that we should not expect life to provide all the answers before we begin living meaningfully.
We can acknowledge uncertainty while still choosing kindness. We can recognize suffering without losing compassion. And we can accept that we do not understand everything while remaining grateful for the time we have been given.
For me, life remains meaningful through faith, family, friendship, learning, and the opportunity to share my thoughts with readers around the world.
At nearly 92, I am still curious about the world. And I am grateful that an unusual film like The Stranger can give an old man something new to think about.
A Final Thought
Life may not answer every question we ask,
Nor make clear the purpose of each day.
But love, kindness, faith, and memories
Can give meaning to the journey along the way.
- David, at nearly 92
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