Estranei

There are certain movies that are too heavy to objectively rate and look back on. For me, All of Us Strangers is that kind of film.

The story follows Adam, played by terrific Andrew Scott, who's in his forties, living alone in a freshly-built block in London, indulging himself in his loneliness. One night, he's visited by Harry, played by brilliant Paul Mescal, and the two start a relationship, in which both open up about their insecurities. It turns out, Adam's main source of anxiety is not being able to get over grief after his parents' death 30 years earlier.

Adam writes screenplays for movies, and it turns out, All of Us Strangers seems like one of his screenplays, because he regularly visits his parents. He talks with them about his everyday life, struggles, and what has changed in these 30 years.

Now, I'm lucky enough to have both parents alive and well. Still, due to how excellent the dialogue, narration, and acting is in All of Us Strangers, I was still devastated. I can't recall when was the last time I shed so many tears during a film.

Imagine a person so lost in grief and loneliness they talk to their dead family members and acting as if their fantasies were true. All of Us Strangers brings these kinds of images alive to a great effect. Fortunately, the movie is also more than only an emotional blow. It hardly loses its narration, even when the tempo accelerates in certain moments, and the border between what's real and fiction seems to vanish.

And the acting. I won't ever understand how Andrew Scott wasn't nominated for an award for his depiction of Adam. His range in this movie is just unmatched. A lot of positives can also be said about Paul Mescal, or Adam's parents, who are played by Claire Foy and Jamie Bell, but they're a background to Scott's brilliance on the screen.

It's tough to think of a story about grief and loneliness without emotional baggage. All of Us Strangers, despite its emotional overload, delivers a solid, stunning, and tough story about people who are lost. More importantly, it's a story about a lot of us, too afraid to talk about our inner battles, running away to imaginary scenarios. A truly superb film.

All of Us Strangers is one of the most tender love stories put to film in recent memory and a frightening number of people will choose not to see it because it is a gay one at that. Just thought I'd disclose this aspect upfront so that only the worthy stick around for this read. We good? Good.

Directed by Andrew Haigh (45 Years) and based in part on the Taichi Yamada novel Strangers, this movie tells of a reclusive London-based screenwriter named Adam (Andrew Scott of Fleabag and Sherlock) who lives in an all-too-quiet apartment building where the only other living soul appears to be the oft-drunk Harry (Paul Mescal of Aftersun), who begins to act flirtily towards him. As you may have guessed, the two eventually bond and fall in love, even as Adam finds Harry a bit mysterious at first and, partly due to what he was taught re: sexuality as a youngster, isn't as comfortable with intimate touch -- initially.

Sheila O'Malley put it best when she wrote that All of Us Strangers, almost immediately, has a "surreal, almost supernatural atmosphere". I don't know how much I ought to give away, but I can tell you it's not for naught. When I say that the apartment building seems strangely quiet, I mean it seems almost unearthly; it is no surprise that the posters make use of the almost entirely dark building where only two windows are lit up -- it is an image that sets the tone.

All the same, love is discovered in this setting (this connection, taking place in an eerie realm where connections at first seem impossible, recalls 2015's Anomalisa in a lot of ways) and it isn't long before our hearts are grabbed and then broken. This oft-surreal film is nonetheless very much, devastatingly real.

Adam is also troubled by thoughts about his parents (Jamie Bell; Claire Foy) as he keeps revisiting his (ostensibly) abandoned childhood home. He has a series of dreams (or are they dreams?) where he goes through the conversations he wishes he'd had -- the sort of conversations that frankly a lot of people, be they gay children of traditionally-minded parents or not, wish they'd had with their folks; the sort of conversations we typically don't get around to before it's too late, resorting to having them in our heads, sometimes in the form of revisiting moments and trying against all logic to rewrite them.

These sequences exemplify some of the best and most emotionally honest acting of the past year. It is one of those films that make you realize how good other films aren't, particularly those of the romance variety that too often settle for tried routines and formulas while rarely doing anything stylistically intriguing or letting the actors be truly vulnerable. (I'm aware, painfully so, that that's what the crowds want; the statement I heard from a rom-com fan in high school, that "film is about hot people and satisfying endings", still echoes in my mind.)

On a similar note: as many viewers of British/English cinema will point out, this one sticks out with its artful compositions (note especially its usage of mirrors and windows), dreamlike editing, deliberate color choices, and occasional magical realism. This isn't a first or anything, but it seems we often associate English film with gritty realism -- think This is England or Billy Elliot. I assure you, though, that the English are quite capable of outstanding visual communication. There are edits and framing/blocking choices in All of Us Strangers that cut even deeper than that one "reveal" in 45 Years. If you know, you know.

Oh and of course, as a long-time fan of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, I can't forget to mention how the film uses their 1984 album Beyond the Pleasuredome, particularly their best song "The Power of Love", as a reoccurring motif; a devastating one. The music video is also referenced, in ways I cannot reveal here. Best you go see this wonderful picture before I say too much.

And remember: let yourself be beautiful.

The only way I can describe this film is beautifully boring. The first time I watched it I could appreciate it's quality but I found it far too disconcerting and spent too much time wondering what the hell was going on to really be drawn in. A year later I revisited the movie with a little more maturity and understanding and I was completely taken aback because it was not the film I remembered. This was a masterpiece on every level. There are so many ways to interpret the film whether as a portrayal of schizophrenia or a fantasy about ghosts. However when you peel back all the layers it's so simply about loneliness. I think trying to decipher what was actually going on, what was actually real etc negates the simplicity of the film. When watching you feel that loneliness to the very core and the whole world seems to be standing still. I believe intentionally this is not a movie for everyone but the film is undeniably perfect. Andrew Haigh outdoes himself, Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal are breathtakingly good, the script heartbreaking, the soundtrack and colour scheme entrancing. It's boring - but it's meant to be. It's the only way to really capture the deep despair and loneliness of its characters, to make the audience feel as they feel. This wasn't a film made for critical acclaim or to be a box office hit. It was made to tell a beautiful story and it excells.

I've been wanting to watch "All of Us Strangers" ever since I found out about this movie, and let me tell you, it didn't disappoint. This subtle masterpiece weaves a poignant tale of grief, loneliness, and love, leaving an indelible mark on the heart. The brilliant performances from the two main actors elevate the film to a level of emotional depth rarely seen.

The story unfolds as a masterclass in tragedy, exploring the intricate web of human connections and the profound impact of loss. The movie broke my heart into a million pieces tonight, evoking a range of emotions that lingered long after the credits rolled.

"All of Us Strangers" is more than a film; it's an experience that resonates with the rawness of life's complexities. The nuanced storytelling, coupled with stellar acting, makes it a must-watch. Highly recommended for those who appreciate films that delve into the intricacies of the human soul.

Ok, I feel like I have to go back and watch this one again already after reading some interpretations of the ending. I feel like a dolt for missing the clues leading to the twist, and I feel like I would appreciate the movie much more on a second viewing.

But even with that, this movie knocked the wind out of me. Or at least part of it did. There are really two stories playing out in this film. In one, a man is able through some unexplained bit of magical realism to return to his family home where his parents, who died when he was twelve, are alive. These scenes are painfully poignant, and Andrew Scott gives a masterclass of acting as a man who is also still in some ways a little boy. A couple of moments with his parents, played well by Jamie Bell and Claire Foy, had me and the rest of the theatre I was in openly weeping.

The other story is the one that somehow went over my head, a romance Scott's character strikes up with a man living in his apartment building, played by Paul Mescal. I wasn't into this storyline as much, and would have been content if the entire film had just been about Scott seeking closure with his parents. But again, I also didn't catch on what was actually happening with the Paul Mescal storyline, so I wonder if I would like that part of the film more on a re-watch knowing what I know now.

If there's any justice in the world, Andrew Scott will receive some awards attention for this.

Grade: A.