Written And Directed by Andrew Haigh
Adam: "You and me together into the world."
I've been waiting a while to see this movie that I really did hype it up in my head. Upon seeing it, it certainly lived up to any preconceived ideas I had about the movie.
Based on Taichi Yamada's 1987 novel Strangers, this movie focused on a lonely screenwriter named Adam (Andrew Scott). Living in a tower block in London, Adam encountered the much younger and sadder Harry (Paul Mescal) but turned down the latter's offer for a drink on one particular night.
On top of that, Adam was a man dealing with the trauma of losing his parents before his twelfth birthday and thirty years later, he's meeting up with his dead parent. First by encountering his father (Jamie Bell) at an off licence and then going back to his childhood home to reunited with his mother (Claire Foy).
Yes, it's clear very early into the movie that Adam is talking to ghosts and as the movie progressed he was able to hash out certain things with both parents. For his mother, it was admitting that he was gay and that society's views on homosexuality had progressed since her time. His mother's initial stance on Adam being gay felt believable as she then embraced the idea of son falling in love with another man.
As for Adam's father, there was some beautifully written scenes where his dad had suspected Adam was gay but was also apologetic for not comforting Adam when the latter was bullied in school. Both Jamie Bell and Claire Foy are on excellent form as Adam's parents.
Of course, Adam couldn't maintain his relationship with his dead parents and a big part of the movie was him having to let go of them once and for all in a rather fitting scene set in a diner. Then there was Adam's other prominent relationship in this movie, one that came with a twist that made sense in retrospect.
Adam's relationship with Harry might be one of the best relationships between gay men depicted on screen. It's certainly got a level of authenticity that writer/director Andrew Haigh has pulled off in past works such as Weekend and Looking. The chemistry between Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal was incredible to watch.
I'm not exaggerating here. Both Scott and Mescal are absolutely compelling to watch, not just for the sex scenes and physical intimacy between Adam and Harry but the emotional scenes too are nothing short of stunning. The twist with Harry at the end might have added a bittersweet taste to things but there's no denying that both actors gave it their all.
- In the book, the protagonist was a straight man who befriended a couple that looked like his parents.
- Andrew Haigh's childhood home was used for the scenes where Adam visited his parents.
- Adam went to live with his maternal grandmother in Dublin. Andrew Scott keeps his own accent here whereas Paul Mescal did have an English accent for Harry.
- Adam was an only child whereas Harry had an older brother and sister but seemed to be somewhat distant from his own parents.
- Standout music: Pet Shop Boys Always On My Mind and Frankie Goes To Hollywood The Power Of Love.
- Chronology: Over thirty years since the death of Adam's parents, who died during Christmas. Adam's in his forties.
All Of Us Strangers was an absolute delight of a movie from start to finish. Andrew Scott gave a career best performance and he was backed up in brilliant supporting roles from Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell and Claire Foy. Andrew Haigh's writing and directing was his best yet. This movie was note perfection in every way. I loved it to bits.
Rating: 10 out of 10
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