Soon enough, their stories become entwined as Henry (Sean Harris), a lone drifter with a mysterious past, befriends Paul (Steve Mouzakis), a man who might just be able to offer him the opportunity of a lifetime.

Enter Mark (Joel Edgerton), one of Paul’s friends who has a job opportunity for Henry but it’s not strictly legal.

We may know very little about Henry, but we know even less about Mark.

Indeed, the first section of The Stranger pulls you into the experience as a fellow passenger, going along with Henry for the ride.

Tumbling head over heels, The Stranger soon reveals exactly what’s going on, while dramatically shifting the point of view from Henry to his new best pal, Mark.

The Stranger is loosely based on the real-life abduction of an Australian child in 2003 and the subsequent efforts of the Australian police to bring his murderer to justice.

Despite Henry’s violent past, Wright makes a distinct choice to avoid any hint of blood and gore, instead focussing closely on the darkness surrounding both Henry and Mark.