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Writer's pictureJames Rutherford

'All of Us Strangers': Andrew Haigh's Evocative Exploration of Loss, Forgiveness and Belonging


Poster for All of Us Strangers

All of Us Strangers (2023) is an ethereal and evocative British drama starring Andrew Scott as Adam, a London-based screenwriter adrift in existential haze—grappling with decades-long grief and profound introspection. A chance encounter with an enigmatic new neighbor named Harry (Paul Mescal) sparks an exploration of desire in Adam—compelling him to trek to rural England in search of his childhood home.


Upon locating his formative sanctuary, Adam is stunned to come face-to-face with the apparitions of his late father (Jamie Bell) and mother (Claire Foy)—retaining the youthful vitality they possessed when they passed away 30 years earlier. The ensuing narrative balances Adam's rekindled fellowship with his loving parents with his burgeoning relationship with Harry, as the film masterfully blurs present and past in a dreamlike labyrinth of memory, longing and tenuous reality.


Adapted from the novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada and directed by British filmmaker Andrew Haigh (Lean on Pete, 45 Years), All of Us Strangers boldly illustrates the experience of confronting ghosts, both literal and metaphorical. Haigh's film transcends the boundaries of realism, weaving a tapestry of reality and imagination to offer a profound meditation on loss, forgiveness and the enduring search for belonging. Adam's specters of regret and unspoken truth provide their own unique form of salvation, while helping to deliver one of the most emotionally impactful British films in recent memory.

 

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