Of course, the controversy has also accompanied the fictional deviations from the Netflix adaptation of this criminal history.
‘The stranger’ has arrived on Netflix and, like the recent ‘The girl who had everything, the thriller is inspired by real life events. The film follows a group of experienced undercover cops who pose as an influential criminal network to catch a killer who has evaded conviction for him for eight years.
While names have been changed, ‘The Stranger’ was based on a tragic true crime involving the murder of 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe. And the decision to use the case as inspiration for the film has caused controversy. We’ll have to cover some spoilers for the movie, so look the other way for now if you haven’t seen ‘The Stranger’ yet or continue at your own risk.
‘The Stranger’: The True Story
‘The Stranger’ is based on Kate Kyriacou’s book ‘The Sting: The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe’s Killer’, but as mentioned above the names have been changed, making it a fictionalized retelling of the story. In December 2003, Daniel Morcombe was abducted on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on his way to a shopping mall. He was killed by Brett Peter Cowan, who was eventually caught in August 2011 and convicted of the murder following a 2014 trial.
The police operation points towards a Cowan lured into the fake criminal gang led by ‘Mr Big’ with the promise of a big payout. While we see this play out in the film, we don’t see any scene of the kidnapping and murder of the boy. However, it has still been a source of controversy, with Daniel Morcombe’s parents calling the film’s release, released theatrically in Australia, “morally corrupt and cruel”.
Bruce Morcombe revealed that the filmmakers had contacted them about making a film centered around Daniel’s killer. “We absolutely said ‘no, we don’t want any of that.’ Daniel’s legacy is about educating children,” he said (via news.com.au). His wife Denise added that the film “does not have the support of the Morcombe family”.
In response, the producers of ‘The Stranger’ called it a “fictional account” and said that “out of our deepest respect for the family”, the film avoided any details of the murder and the name of the victim.
“Instead, it tells the story of unknown police professionals who dedicated years of their lives and their mental and physical health to solving this case and others like it,” the statement continued. “When the film was first in development, the producers approached the family about the film. They refused to participate. It’s a decision we continue to respect.”
Talking with Guardian, director Thomas M. Wright said that after reading the book on which it is based, he did not think they would take the job. “But the more I sat with it, and the more I read it, it started to reveal itself as a movie that isn’t about violence at all,” he added.
“Clearly, the motif of the film is an unspeakable act of violence… that embodies the worst that animals called humans are capable of. But that is not the subject of the film.” We suppose that the subject will have to be found out by watching the movie…
‘The Stranger’ is available to watch now on Netflix.
Source: Fotogramas
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
