All Of Us Strangers - Review

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Andrew Haigh's achingly poignant film has the power to resonate on a remarkably deep level, while also operating as a genuinely superb piece of filmmaking craft in its own right.

Adapted by Haigh from Strangers, a 1987 novel by Japanese writer Taichi Yamada, this is also a deeply personal journey for the filmmaker himself, given that some of the shooting locations include, most notably, his actual childhood home for the scenes between Andrew Scott's protagonist, Adam, and his parents (played by Jamie Bell and Claire Foy).

But as a deliberation on relationships (of any kind), or what it means to feel lonely and/or different, as well as regret, this is powerfully compelling and thoughtfully composed.

The plot, essentially, finds Scott's lonely screenwriter, Adam, drawn back to his childhood at the same time as he enters into a fledgling relationship with a mysterious neighbour (Paul Mescal).

But it cleverly plays tricks on the viewer, toying with notions of time, memory and reality, before delivering something of a gut-punch climax that ensures the film possesses a truly haunting quality.

Scott is superb in the lead role, conveying much of his emotional journey silently. But the supporting cast is uniformly great, offering nuanced characterisations of flawed but all too easily identifiable characters.

Haigh's screenplay also doesn't spoon-feed, yet remains sensitive and probing throughout - asking some telling questions, while undoubtedly prompting a great deal of soul-searching from his viewers. It also, tellingly, confronts shifting attitudes towards tolerance in society, recalling the entrenched homophobia of the past in a way that reflects many of the prejudices that people continue to exhibit today (in the way they view any form of difference).

His use of soundtrack is also inspired, if initially deceptive, with one song in particular, likely to be transformed into a memory of the film whenever you now subsequently hear it.

All Of Us Strangers is a sombre masterpiece - sad but strangely life-affirming. It resonates on a very deep level.