Sans jamais nous connaître

I saw this at the Cork International Film Festival, so seeing 2 Irish leads like Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal performing as they did was a tantalizing factor for me and those watching.

The film brilliantly captures one man's complex processing of grief and loss, with the protagonists particular story holding different factors for viewers to latch on to. It is a raw watch, which touches on the themes of loss, pain, and love.

The 2024 awards season should look favourably on Andrew Scott's performance in this film. His portrayal of this mans intriguing, yet sensitive approach of coming to terms with such tragic events in his life could not have been played better by any other actor. An enormous amount of credit must to go Andrew Haigh's directing and writing, who produced a flawless ensemble to play off of a script where every scene and word was situated perfectly.

Ok, I feel like I have to go back and watch this one again already after reading some interpretations of the ending. I feel like a dolt for missing the clues leading to the twist, and I feel like I would appreciate the movie much more on a second viewing.

But even with that, this movie knocked the wind out of me. Or at least part of it did. There are really two stories playing out in this film. In one, a man is able through some unexplained bit of magical realism to return to his family home where his parents, who died when he was twelve, are alive. These scenes are painfully poignant, and Andrew Scott gives a masterclass of acting as a man who is also still in some ways a little boy. A couple of moments with his parents, played well by Jamie Bell and Claire Foy, had me and the rest of the theatre I was in openly weeping.

The other story is the one that somehow went over my head, a romance Scott's character strikes up with a man living in his apartment building, played by Paul Mescal. I wasn't into this storyline as much, and would have been content if the entire film had just been about Scott seeking closure with his parents. But again, I also didn't catch on what was actually happening with the Paul Mescal storyline, so I wonder if I would like that part of the film more on a re-watch knowing what I know now.

If there's any justice in the world, Andrew Scott will receive some awards attention for this.

Grade: A.

There are certain movies that are too heavy to objectively rate and look back on. For me, All of Us Strangers is that kind of film.

The story follows Adam, played by terrific Andrew Scott, who's in his forties, living alone in a freshly-built block in London, indulging himself in his loneliness. One night, he's visited by Harry, played by brilliant Paul Mescal, and the two start a relationship, in which both open up about their insecurities. It turns out, Adam's main source of anxiety is not being able to get over grief after his parents' death 30 years earlier.

Adam writes screenplays for movies, and it turns out, All of Us Strangers seems like one of his screenplays, because he regularly visits his parents. He talks with them about his everyday life, struggles, and what has changed in these 30 years.

Now, I'm lucky enough to have both parents alive and well. Still, due to how excellent the dialogue, narration, and acting is in All of Us Strangers, I was still devastated. I can't recall when was the last time I shed so many tears during a film.

Imagine a person so lost in grief and loneliness they talk to their dead family members and acting as if their fantasies were true. All of Us Strangers brings these kinds of images alive to a great effect. Fortunately, the movie is also more than only an emotional blow. It hardly loses its narration, even when the tempo accelerates in certain moments, and the border between what's real and fiction seems to vanish.

And the acting. I won't ever understand how Andrew Scott wasn't nominated for an award for his depiction of Adam. His range in this movie is just unmatched. A lot of positives can also be said about Paul Mescal, or Adam's parents, who are played by Claire Foy and Jamie Bell, but they're a background to Scott's brilliance on the screen.

It's tough to think of a story about grief and loneliness without emotional baggage. All of Us Strangers, despite its emotional overload, delivers a solid, stunning, and tough story about people who are lost. More importantly, it's a story about a lot of us, too afraid to talk about our inner battles, running away to imaginary scenarios. A truly superb film.

The only way I can describe this film is beautifully boring. The first time I watched it I could appreciate it's quality but I found it far too disconcerting and spent too much time wondering what the hell was going on to really be drawn in. A year later I revisited the movie with a little more maturity and understanding and I was completely taken aback because it was not the film I remembered. This was a masterpiece on every level. There are so many ways to interpret the film whether as a portrayal of schizophrenia or a fantasy about ghosts. However when you peel back all the layers it's so simply about loneliness. I think trying to decipher what was actually going on, what was actually real etc negates the simplicity of the film. When watching you feel that loneliness to the very core and the whole world seems to be standing still. I believe intentionally this is not a movie for everyone but the film is undeniably perfect. Andrew Haigh outdoes himself, Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal are breathtakingly good, the script heartbreaking, the soundtrack and colour scheme entrancing. It's boring - but it's meant to be. It's the only way to really capture the deep despair and loneliness of its characters, to make the audience feel as they feel. This wasn't a film made for critical acclaim or to be a box office hit. It was made to tell a beautiful story and it excells.

I realised towards the end of this film that I was gasping for breath. I had to pause it several times just to catch up with all the feelings it was evoking.

Such a powerful and moving insight into self enforced loneliness and fantasising about what could have been. Themes of loss, love, memory, and time, handled and explored with such care. The intimacy captured so beautifully. I just know I'm going to be thinking about this film for the next few days, nothing has moved me like this in a long time.

Incredible performances from the two leads. Their ability to portray raw vulnerability left me dumbfounded at points.

Perfect soundtrack that complimented the sentiments of each scene. Just the right amount of tension and release. Beautifully balanced in terms of light and dark. A perfect film all round.