All of Us Strangers

Adam (Andrew Scott) is a lonely screenwriter living in a mostly empty London high-rise. One night, a similarly forlorn tenant named Harry (Paul Mescal) knocks at his door. The handsome Harry drunkenly flirts with him. Adam is tempted, but he rebuffs his advances. Soon after, Adam is inspired to revisit the suburban neighborhood where he grew up. His parents were killed in a car crash when he was 12. To his surprise, his folks appear to be still living in his childhood home and haven’t aged since the day they died 30 years ago.

Adam will interact with his mom (Claire Foy) and dad (Jamie Bell) and reflect on his life. It appears he traveled back to 1987. The very idea seems like a science fiction fantasy. These seemingly supernatural forces will be explained to a certain extent, but the reveal isn’t really the point. The development is an opportunity for a poignant reflection where thoughts of the past meet the uncertain horizon of what is to come.

The story is a series of conversational vignettes. Scenes with Mom and Dad are juxtaposed with a budding relationship with the mysterious Harry. The two isolated souls disclose little details of their lives to one another. Meanwhile, Adam has the opportunity to reveal concerns he didn’t or couldn’t have when his parents were alive. He will discuss many things, including the truth about his desires and the man he just met. These chats are straightforward on the surface but unveil feelings than transcend mere words. Each dialogue unfolds with sincerity—the heavy depth of emotion percolates beneath what is being said.

Mom is concerned that Adam might have chosen an unhappy kind of life. Dad takes the news more in stride, joking, “You never could throw a ball.” Adam was bullied at school and wondered why they weren’t more comforting. In one particularly memorable scene, Harry wakes up in his childhood home at Christmas to find the family decorating the tree. “Always on My Mind” by the Pet Shop Boys plays on the TV in the background. Mother tenderly looks at her son and mouths the words: “Maybe I didn’t love you quite as often as I could have…” The simple gesture is a heartbreaking declaration.

What could have been? All of Us Strangers is a dreamlike film that mines the melancholy tenor of regrets over a straightforward plot. Writer and director Andrew Haigh (45 Years, Lean on Pete) has loosely adapted the Japanese novel Strangers, by Taichi Yamada to suit his own experiences. This account maintains a reflective mood that considers the possibility of reconnecting with those who have long passed on with a prospective romance. Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s romantic ballad “The Power of Love” is a touching coda. The promise of happiness in the future is balanced with the sadness of the past. The enchanting exploration is a profound experience bursting with humanity.

12-27-23