All Of Us Strangers Review: A Heartrending Tale Of Grief, Loneliness, And Love
- Stunning performances from Andrew Scott, Claire Foy, Jamie Bell, and Paul Mescal
- Dreamy film style
- Not applicable
The Germans must have a word for something that's so painful, it's beautiful. If we knew what it was, it would certainly apply to "All of Us Strangers," the latest film from Andrew Haigh. It's a work of heartbreaking melancholy that grapples with grief, loss, and loneliness in a profound way, tackling its themes while simultaneously avoiding the trite narrative devices one might expect. Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal are incandescent as screen partners, with chemistry like lightning and a deep emotional connection, while Claire Foy and Jamie Bell put in entirely unselfish supporting performances, each contributing to make "All of Us Strangers" one of the most emotionally devastating films of the year.
Adam (Scott) is an isolated writer, living in a massive, impersonal apartment complex that has struggled to attract occupants. He's been by himself for so long that he's grown accustomed to it, any sensation of loneliness reduced to little more than a dull ache he can easily push to the side. But when he has a chance interaction with his neighbor Harry (Mescal), he finds his routine life transformed entirely. To begin with, he and Harry have an immediate spark, one that leads to the most emotionally fulfilling relationship Adam's had in years. But perhaps more significantly, as he attempts to reach backward to reconnect with his past for his latest novel, he returns to his childhood home to find his parents (Foy and Bell) — both of whom passed away in a car crash when he was just a boy — apparently alive and well, the same age they were the last time he saw them.
Andrew Scott's best performance
This unexpected miracle offers Adam a sense of closure with his long-dead parents — having lost them as a child, he is finally able to understand them as people by encountering them as an adult. For anyone who has lost a parent, "All of Us Strangers" is both cathartic and devastating. To have the opportunity to see them impossibly young, and to engage with them on a level you never thought possible, is something most people would give anything for. That Adam is actually older than both of his parents adds a poignancy to their dynamic — he is their little boy, but he has lived a full life without them, one that has given him experiences they can hardly imagine. Andrew Scott is especially powerful in these moments, as he is able to push through the pain of a loving but difficult childhood to extend grace to his parents. When we look at him, we can see both the vulnerable child longing for parental approval and the man he has grown up to become. It's a masterful, emotionally complex performance that is matched by the understated sensitivity of Claire Foy, Jamie Bell, and Paul Mescal.
There's something to be said for the fact that "All of Us Strangers" doesn't belabor the point of its unconventional storyline. It doesn't pull a hamstring trying to spoonfeed audiences a reason as to why all of this is happening, or overexplain the logistics of why and how Adam can interact with his parents. It almost feels like the moment the audience — or the character, even — begins questioning it, it will break the spell, and they'll disappear in a puff of smoke. There's a certain level of magical realism at play, and we can just leave it at that. The vulnerability of the performances is matched by the ethereal filmmaking style of Andrew Haigh, who depicts Adam's experiences both with his parents and Harry as hazy and dreamlike. Although Adam is flesh and blood, he feels as though he walks through the land of the dead.
Themes of love and loss
As much as "All of Us Strangers" is a story of almost overwhelming grief and loneliness, the film's depiction of pure, unadulterated love prevents it from being weighed down with heartbreak. The way that Adam's mother and father can't stop staring at him; they drink him in as though they haven't seen him in decades. They desperately try to reconcile the boy they raised with the man who stands in front of them, the gears turning as they come to terms with his sexuality even though from their historical perspective, their son being gay would have meant setting him up for a lifetime of pain and ridicule. There's a warmth and gentleness to all of their interactions that is uplifting despite its subject matter.
With its incredibly moving, cathartic narrative, "All of Us Strangers" is a film that will stick with viewers long after they're done watching it. Andrew Haigh's understated yet emotionally impactful direction is a perfect match for the story's quietly devastating effect. The entire film serves as a showpiece for four talented actors who turn in some of their best work — and for Andrew Scott, Jamie Bell, Claire Foy, and Paul Mescal, that's saying a lot. If this isn't the movie that makes you call your mom just to hear her voice, I don't know what is.
"All of Us Strangers" premieres in theaters on December 22.