As in his previous films, Director Andrew Haigh explores the delicate nature of loneliness, grief, and love in All of Us Strangers, except this time he does so through a supernatural lens. The result is mesmerizing: amid the tenderness the film draws from its characters, there’s a swirl of mystery too: how is it possible that Adam is conversing with his dead parents? Who, exactly, is Harry? The intrigue is there, and Haigh builds to a satisfying climax that answers all these questions. The mystery also lends the film an ethereal style that makes it visually resemble a horror or thriller more than it does a romance or drama. But as superb as it looks and as compelling as the ambiguity is, they never distract from the film’s central goal, which is to bring us into the complex emotional journey Adam goes through as he simultaneously develops a relationship with Harry and parses his childhood trauma with his parents. It’s a hefty film, filled with big emotional moments that will have you crying, smiling, longing, and healing all at the same time. And like any good film, it will haunt you for days on end.
"If [Haigh's] previous films have felt like mere renderings of their scripts, this one is a genuinely cinematic experience."
— Richard Brody
"This potentially maudlin stuff is elevated by the work of all of the actors. What matters here is not just what is being said, but the emotions underneath."
— Sheila O'Malley
One night in his near-empty tower block in contemporary London, Adam has a chance encounter with a mysterious neighbor Harry, which punctures the rhythm of his everyday life.
Upon meeting in their near-empty apartment building, scriptwriter Adam (Andrew Scott) and his neighbor Harry (Paul Mescal) begin a tender affair. When they’re not together, Adam visits his childhood home where he catches up with the ghosts of his departed parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell).
Andrew Scott, you will win your Oscar one day, and when you do, I’d like to believe it will retroactively apply to your heartbreaking, transformative, and scene-stealing performance in All of Us Strangers.
Make sure you carve out enough time on your schedule for long crying spells and sitting on the many feelings the film resurfaces.
Quite simply this film is a masterpiece. It will leave you speechless. The most interesting film I have seen in a long time.
When going through the motions of loneliness leaves us broken and wanting to be recognized by the ones we feel furthest from, be it because of tragedy shattering us apart or our own inability to open up from fear of being unacceptable, the power of love remains our most valuable source for hope, fantasy and a way to make it all okay. Haunting and beautiful, this movie is tremendous, but one could also pine for a deeper and more fleshed out inquest into its themes. Still, you will come away crying and wanting to hug the persons you love. Great watch.