All of Us Strangers, directed by Andrew Haigh, is a film adaptation of the 1987 Japanese novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada. Since its release on Dec. 22 of last year, the movie has made over $16.8 million in the Worldwide Box Office, as well as scored a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.8/10 rating on IMDb.
The film takes place in London and stars Andrew Scott who plays Adam – a screenwriter who is still grieving and coming to terms with the loss of his parents.
Adam lives alone in a large apartment complex with only a few neighbors. One night, he meets his drunk neighbor, Harry, played by Paul Mescal. As a romantic relationship unfolds between the two, Adam decides to visit his childhood home. While outside his old house, Adam thinks he sees his parents who died when he was only 12 years old.
As the plot progresses, we see Adam trying to reconnect with his deceased parents. While rekindling the relationship, Adam tells his parents about Harry — revealing his sexuality to them. His parents, stuck in the year they died, try to understand their son and his identity.
Adam continues to build his relationship with his parents while exploring his connection with Harry. The two men share a deep connection with each other and their relationship flourishes.
All of Us Strangers delves into the themes of love and intimacy and highlights the lasting effects of childhood trauma, identity struggle, and dealing with loss. As Adam mourns the loss of his family, he struggles to understand their inability to recognize him as a whole person, including his sexuality.
Yes, the movie is a love story between two men, but it’s also a love story between a boy and his parents. Adam imagines the life he could’ve had with his parents if they had lived, which may be his way of handling this grief.
Not only were the movie’s plot and script exceptional, we saw top-notch acting from Scott and Mescal. Scott, who played the priest in Fleabag, gave an outstanding performance as Adam, his emotion shining through the screen to move audiences to tears. Mescal also slipped into his role as Harry seamlessly with a riveting supporting performance.
The film’s evocative soundtrack featured songs such as “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire” by the Inkspots, “Always on My Mind” by the Pet Shop Boys, and “Is This Love?” by Alison Moyet.
Haigh also included “The Power of Love,” an emotional ballad by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, to reflect his personal experience of growing up queer through the film’s cinematography. In an interview with IndieWire, Haigh said “The Power of Love” has a sense of “grand, operatic longing,” that struck a chord deep within him through his experiences.
Although many appreciated the celebration of humanity and romance in the film, other critics were confused with the “hallucinatory” aspects that Haigh included. Adam’s constant back-and-forth from his apartment with Harry to his childhood home made a lot of people question what was happening.
Is Adam schizophrenic? Is he just dealing with this grief in a different way? The movie didn’t explain how Adam was able to see his dead parents, which I think made the audience question that aspect of the movie instead of just running with the idea.
Personally, I think that Adam’s reminiscing on what could’ve been with his parents was told through his writing. In the beginning of the movie, the audience sees Adam attempting to write a new script at his desk, alluding to his visions of his parents and what he imagined his life could be if they were alive and could communicate with him.
All of Us Strangers was the kind of movie that I could watch on repeat forever. The film had a small cast, but each character was full of depth and emotion that entranced the audience. Though it wasn’t nominated for any Oscars, it’s still one of the best films I watched in 2023. I constantly find myself recommending this film to friends, which you can also stream with a Hulu subscription now.
Seriously, if you’re in need of a movie or just a good cry, PLEASE go see All of Us Strangers.
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