All of Us Strangers
- Romance
- Drama
- 2023
- Andrew Haigh
- 105 mins
- 15
Summary:
Fortysomething screenwriter Adam wrestles with a creative block as he attempts to channel childhood memories into words on his laptop screen. Out of curiosity, he visits his childhood home in Sanderstead and discovers the ghosts of his parents linger at the property. Drama with Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell and Claire Foy
Why watch All of Us Strangers?:
A major contender at the 2024 BAFTAs and notably snubbed at the Oscars, All of Us Strangers entranced both critics and viewers alike when it first debuted. Ultimately a meditation on grief and loneliness, don't be going into it without expecting to shed a tear of two (or, you know, a bucket).
Paul Mescal, Claire Foy and Jamie Bell all give outstanding supporting performances, but really this is a showcase for Andrew Scott, and he does not disappoint. The film follows his character Adam as he begins a new romance with a man he meets in his apartment block, Harry, while he also delves into a project writing about his parents that he lost at a young age. When he revisits his old family home, he finds them both there waiting for him, as he is repeatedly able to communicate with them just as they were, filling them in on his life thus far.
It's a heady concept and one which might not completely come together for everyone – a final twist may be a step too far for some. However, as a moving and poetic visual experience, there are few others that have come close to matching it in recent times.
James Hibbs