ALL OF US STRANGERS (2023)

 

Written & Directed By: Andrew Haigh

Based on The Novel “STRANGERS” by: Taichi Yamada 

Cinematography: Jamie Ramsey 

Editor: Jonathan Alberts

Cast: Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy, Jamie Bell

A screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home enters into a fledgling relationship with his downstairs neighbor while discovering a mysterious new way to heal from losing his parents 30 years ago.

First off before you even redistribute, this is a film that it’s best to go in blind to to get the most out of it. So please watch the film before you read this review as there will be some spoilers.

This is definitely a movie that would’ve been in my top five had I seen it in 2003 when it was released.

The film plays more like therapy sessions of unresolved issues that still exist, mentally, which can also be seen as a vivid confessional. Which might come across as a bit more theatrical or staged for some audience members. 

At heart, it’s a love story in the midst of all that develops like his relationship with his parents there’s an unknown history that is slowly brought to the forefront of its kind of acceptance, even though it does have its problems and issues by the end of the film it’s still heartbreaking nonetheless. As we witnessed the breakthrough more was revealed.

Director Andrew Haigh manages to make everything look like almost every frame could be a photograph in a museum.

Watching this film lead actor, Andrew Scott, as always can do no wrong as an actor for me at least he is similar to Sterling K. Brown, as he truly inhabits, their characters, deeper and deeper Sterling K is more of a chameleon who always has a different look with his roles and characters, Andrew Scott here the more his character opens up the more comfortable he becomes with himself, and also the more vivid the performance and memorable.

The director has a way of making the normal look extraordinary at times in simple ways.

It’s a story of nostalgia coming of age and finding peace within yourself as well as acceptance. 

At the end, it shows you can go home again not entirely. Always ghosts from the past waiting that need to be released no matter how much you want them to stay.

The film, even though it is adapted from a short story novel still feels so sharply person in the spite style. It still is like watching a wound, heal itself, not every step of the way, but you can see the repair from the damage done and also even though it is healing, you know there will still be some scars , but will be able to move on despite the injury sad they’re still hope

It’s truly hard to describe exactly the emotional strength of the film how powerful it is and where it leaves you at the end but it’s definitely worth watching. 

Grade: A