One night in his near-empty London tower block, screenwriter Adam has a chance encounter with mysterious neighbor Harry, puncturing the rhythm of his everyday life.

As a relationship develops between them, Adam finds himself drawn back to his childhood home, where his parents appear to be living just as they were on the day they died 30 years ago.

Review

Josh (Guest) – Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers” is a poignant narrative on loss and the process of grieving. Life may be lost in various ways, and new life may spring up, all in a manner without control or prediction. Its beauty is in its complexity, highs can only follow lows, and hope is what keeps one moving forward.

Adam is a lonely, 30-something year-old living in a new London apartment block in which there is only one other inhabitant. We meet him as a writer who is struggling to create, dulled by life and the death of his parents at a young age. After a random encounter with the other person in his block, Adam is drawn back to his childhood home where he finds his parents still living as if without change.

The moments of visiting his parents are rejuvenating, as they allow Adam to face his grief and work out the heavy knot that has sat in his chest for years. Altogether, these moments fortify him; re-sparking his life, his writing, and allow him to open himself to the joys and challenges of loving.

The film is heavily evocative and psychological in its cinematography. Close shots are used throughout, not necessarily centered but rather catching the small moments; skin brushing, eyes crinkling with joy or sorrow. It captures the moments in between what is actually being played out, and magnifies the torrent of emotions that drive the outward experience. Andrew Scott’s performance is heartbreakingly sensitive in the vulnerability he explores, and he is perfectly complemented by the emotional depth and clarity of the other three cast members’ performances. The cathartic resonance of it all combines to suck you into the characters, their psyches, and ultimately yourself.

All of Us Strangers is a metaphysical film that is not only seen but, more acutely, felt. Andrew Haigh’s technical and emotional sensitivity is laid out bare, to create a delicate and life affirming perspective on loss. It is bewildering to me that this film did not receive a single Oscar nomination, but then again, that is a fraught system and 2023 was a great year for cinema. 10/10

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