Every so often a film comes along that hits you like a tonne of bricks. All of Us Strangers is one of those films. All of Us Strangers is an intimate, personal portrayal of love, grief and regret. Hyperbole is often used with films that are nominated for awards, but I truly mean it when I say this film is overwhelming and incredibly mesmerising. The style, the camera work, the script and the story all interweave and connect in a way that makes the film unique and full of life. There is a lot of praise needed for the filmmakers and the actors, as they express an almost timeless story of love.
Andrew Scott plays Adam, a script writer who is reminiscing about his childhood within his work. He soon travels out of town to revisit his childhood home, only to see his parents who look the exact same age as him. It turns out they passed away when he was a young boy, and what he is experiencing is almost like a memory of his time at home, but he talks and communicates with his parents in a way as if they’re still alive. This narrative structure soon becomes familiar within the film, and it is through these conversations that we see how Adam has not dealt with his grief and still has many regrets — such as telling his parents that he is gay. Claire Foy and Jamie Bell do a truly magnificent job at playing his parents in a such a nostalgic way, where their perspectives are slightly shifted from modern norms.
There is also a romantic element to the film as Adam connects to another man in his block of flats with Paul Mescal playing Harry. Adam may be a bit of an introvert but that balances out with Harry’s extrovert lifestyle of drinking, clubbing and doing drugs. They bond and soon have deep chats about their pasts and how their lives have turned out. The emphasis on these moments really outshine the film as we see Adam and Harry holding each other, caressing each other and sharing every moment in such detail. The close ups allow us to see their yearning and love blossom from start to finish. These characters are not perfect either with some mental health issues being present within their personalities, but that helps the film feel more raw and authentic.
Authenticity is something that filmmaker Andrew Haigh wanted to convey when it came to the human relationships in the film and you can clearly tell that was his aim. Adam acts open around his parents and talks about how happy he is which contradicts his look of sorrow and loneliness within his eyes and body language. Adam is a flawed human, and he just wants fixing, whether it is reconciling his emotions with his family or exploring who he wants to become with his relationship with Harry. The story does take a big emotional swing at the end, and it just adds to the overall themes of the film. Life unfortunately has an end, but love will forever be timeless.
★★★★★
5/5
Final Verdict:
All of Us Strangers is a deeply moving and powerful film. All the actors involved from Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal to Claire Foy and Jamie Bell all give their characters soul and honesty. The film never drags and you soon adapt to its unusual and unorthodox narrative structure. It is a film that requires your focus and all of the close up shots makes it all the more immersive. If you don’t have at least one tear in your eye by the end of the film then you clearly do not understand the power of cinema.
Thanks for reading today’s blog!
Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions
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