ALL OF US STRANGERS Movie Review **SPOILER ALERT**
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- čas přidán 17. 12. 2023
- Gay homosexuals Nick and Joseph spoil All of Us Strangers - a 2023 British romantic fantasy film written and directed by Andrew Haigh, and loosely based on the 1987 novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada.
Premise: A screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home enters into a fledgling relationship with a mysterious neighbor as he then discovers his parents appear to be living just as they were on the day they died, 30 years before.
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Cast:
Andrew Scott as Adam
Carter John Grout as young Adam
Paul Mescal as Harry
Jamie Bell as Adam's father
Claire Foy as Adam's mother
Ami Tredrea as Waitress
Cinematography by Jamie D. Ramsay
Edited by Jonathan Alberts
Music by Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch
Keywords: ending explained, reaction video, trailer, Telluride Film Festival, Searchlight Pictures, Greek Pete, Lean On Pete, 45 Years, Looking, Weekend - Krátké a kreslené filmy
Saw this today and while I agree that it was an excellent film, I was unprepared for the level of grief and sadness that enveloped the central character. This is not a feel-good movie. Adam does not get better as the film progresses. The gay aspect for me was secondary. It was really about how childhood trauma can not only stay with you but can hold you back and be a dark cloud over your life. The acting and musical score were stellar.
Basically what he said 👆🏼💯
But then if Adam is dead from the start, and this is them working through things and in the end, they move on, and become stars.. that's getting better. .
I agree it's very very sad though.
Same I thought this was a really bleak and upsetting film. It was beautiful, but certainly not feel-good. I left feeling even more lonely than I already am haha
I knew it would be a drama, but I had no idea how sad this movie would get, I left feeling horrible and I gotta say I wouldn't watch it again.
An incredible performance by Andrew Scott.
Graceful is right! I watched it three times yesterday- still crying today. It was so tender and beautiful.
Harry says his married sister is in the centre of the family while he is on the fringe. After he dies he says ‘why didn’t my parents find me’. I feel like being gay really added to both of their loneliness and Harry’s death. The pain of being different plays a big role in this film.
What an excellent movie. When he was talking to his dad about crying in his room and said “I wish I would have went in your room “…I was crying like a baby. One of the best movies last year.
I didn't even notice the age difference due to how youthful Andrew Scott still looks, but I did start to wonder if Adam and Harry had met years ago when I noticed Hary wearing the wedding band.
the cruising reference, i thought was so brilliant and genius hahaha i thought exactly the same when i saw that shot. and yeah i noticed that too, as he got deeper into his interactions with his parents, he subtly transforms into a little boy. what great acting!
The empty apartment block: firstly, there are LOTS of empty apartment blocks in London, it's a major problem. Oversea investors buy them as investments and don't even bother to let them out, just waiting for the price to rise (as it's London so it always does) and then they havre a major asset. So it is accurate to have empty apartment bocks. Andrew Haigh used to (or still does) live in London, so it's possible it's some kind of social commentary. But if not, it adds weight to the idea that this is some kind of purgatory and they both die after the smoke alarm.
The only way it seems the story makes total plotwise-sense is if all the characters are dead (and ghosts) from the start. As in any ghost story since Hamlet/Christmas Carol and a lot of Mike Flanagan netflix series they hang on and wander the earth or this plane to find piece/ fulffil/solve their problem before they can move on...Luckily this is not Hamlet's father crying out for Revenge - but closure/ understanding / coming out / love. The purgatorial apartment block is a given. Both Adam and Harry could already be (lonely) ghosts from the start, wanting to move on with each other, but Adam still has issues to resolve.....In the end Adam's ghost finds Harry's corpse and then meets Harry's ghost again....and yes they can be together now(for "ghost" real/star eternity). It does make for a more logical ending than imagining Adam alive snuggling with the ghost of his dead lover for the rest of his life (and makes sense of the last shot).
They all had very limited perspective on their passing from one plane to the other anyway.
totally agree: this is a total ghost story set in some other reality, not one about a live person engaging with ghosts.
There was another film critic or director (name escapes me) that said, and I'm paraphrasing here, "Good stories don't just allow the suspension of disbelief, they encourage it." Great review, and I can't wait to see it. Thank you.
I saw this today. Everyone in the theater needed a moment. 😢
I loved this movie. I've gotten to see it twice now and I loved it even more the second time. At one of the Q&As I attended, the director said that the building doesn't necessarily have to be as empty as it is in the movie, it's just that it feels that way to Andrew Scott's character. Like these two characters feel like they're the only ones in this building. Anyway I've seen over 200 movies this year and so far this is my absolute favorite.
I hate romantic movies but y’all make me want to watch it. The theme is universal in a lot of ways. My mom died in 2013. I am raising my nephew and niece who she was raising before she passed and I always want to have a moment with her to say “this is who I am now and this is what I have done”.
The romance aspect of the film is actually secondary to the trauma aspects of the film that the main character is dealing with. It's truly worth a watch! I bet you'd love it! I'm not big on romance movies but this one barely fits the category, although yes, there is a bit of a love story happening but you'd have to see it to understand why it's secondary. I hope you get to check it out! ❤
I don’t like romance movies either. At all. But this film has childhood trauma at the centre as many have said; the difficulty of coping with it and moving on, and the self-destruction that can result.
To describe it as a romance is misleading, one could equally describe it as a horror movie.
It's a story we can't really use logic to explain what is happening and why. As for the building being empty -- it's a metaphor of their loneliness... again, don't try to figure this out with logic. Instead, it's a "meditation on grief, loss and connection." There are so many scenes that made me sob and not because they are manipulative (I don't get fooled by manipulations) but because they are true, genuine and heartfelt: Adam's scene with this dad about bullying, the restaurant scene... and of course the ending. I thought it was beautiful and poignant and surreal and simply sublime. Some people may not connect with it because it was not a traditionally happy ending and some have said it feels "manipulative" but I don't agree. It was more like a puzzle, and finally we got to see what the puzzle is. I absolutely was blown away. The performances are outstanding all around.
good point: symbolic meditation not meant to be taken literally.
I saw the film tonight, and immediately afterward, I was dying to hear your thoughts on it. I'm a very boring straight man and turn to you guys to hear your perspective when it comes to gay movies. As always, great insight. Thank you.
Great discussion. That huge building not occupied. Adam often has a fever. We never see Adam talk to anyone other than Harry and his dead parents. Dead Harry sees the dead parents and they see Harry. Isn't Adam also dead? Is there some sort of after-death reunion taking place? Also, why do they both vanish at the end into the star/eternity? I know this interpretation is outside the text, but there were surreal and illogical scenes that don't make sense as a film set in the real world.
The fact that there were only two of them in the apartment was a metaphor for their loneliness. When Adam goes downstairs, he sees Harry upstairs in the apartment with only one light on and then Harry says, "You were looking at me from downstairs" when he comes to the man's door, so the alarm cannot be ringing because Harry is dead. I didn't mind that there was no one else in the apartment; in fact, I liked it. It may sound like a cliché, but it seemed like a good way to explain that we are people drowning in their own loneliness in buildings with hundreds of flats in big, crowded cities.
On the “Empty apartment Building” conundrum, I think it has to be viewed like the apparently empty hotel for most of Joanna Hogg’s The Eternal Daughter. It’s about the main character’s psyche.
This film! This film is heartbreaking and cathartic. Andrew Scott is simply exquisite. I so love a film that shows queer love as beautiful and sensitive and bursting with love! Oh-and the developmental trauma , and the complexities of family systems-just beyond brilliant!!Oscars be damned!! It is a 4.5/5 from me!❤
There are only 4 people in the cast. Each character is dead, helping each other work through something before they all move on.
yes, and they become stars at the end..
the building is purgatory.
@@ericamacs3875 I agree. However........At the start of the film, we see Adam struggling to write about himself and his parents, his screen is blank, later when he has met his parents and his relationship with Harry develops, we see him looking at a screen full of writing, he then looks over at Harry, who is reading "Walden" a book about the meaning of life. We are watching Adam's screenplay. For artistic purposes, in this semi autobiographical film, death symbolises moving on from relationships and the apartment building is isolation. Mom Dad Harry and Adam are alive IRL.
@@cianareid5034 so you think they're all alive but this is the story he is telling? OK that's an interesting take
@@ericamacs3875 yes, exactly.
@@ericamacs3875 I didn't think they were all alive. I thought that the parents were dead and the romance is what he hopes/wishes/dreams about. They're all characters that he's writing into his screenplay, based on his parents and based on what he wishes for his own life.
Please watch Fleabag, if you ever have time. Andrew Scott is so good in S2!
Hot priest!❤
A modern classic!
I just saw this, cried several times, what a deeply empathetic movie
I gasped at points because of how relatable it was
Ok I just watched it, I cried. Its so relatable. Like the stuff your parents tell you would stick with you your whole life. Such as everytime he crossed his legs he will always be reminded of his dad telling him not to. Amazing writing.
As I sit here crossed-legged like a girl!! 😉🎉
This movie messed me up so bad emotionally when I saw this at a film festival back in October 😢💔 I mean that in a good way. One of the best movies I’ve seen this year.
Life is full of sorrow and sadness but also amazing times and excitement and happiness. That’s life. 😊 doesn’t matter gay or straight.
SO true!!
We get a clue early in the movie, when Harry says to Adam, that the building has windows that don't open, he says they "don't want us to jump"( that stood up to me) and the scenes of the family decorating the Christmas Tree, Mom (Claire Foy) sing the lyrics of "you were always on my mind" Maybe I didn't treat you quite as good as I should, Maybe I didn't love you, quite as often as I could , maybe i didn't hold you, all those lonely, lonely times, i guess I never told you, I am so happy you are mine.
I really didn't need to watch this movie today, but then again, I guess it would have affected me no matter when I watch it. It's so sad and yet such an amazing movie. I don't do this often but definitely would watch it again. 💔
UMmmmm This is my first video of Fish Jelly, 0.08 sec in and I'm loving it, subscribed and want more! Great intro. I'm hooked
Joseph's reaction to Nick's poll quote 😂😂😂😂😂
9:10 Yes! That’s what I said to my friend when I saw the movie, “oh I think my parents are dead!”They have been dead to me since I was 10-11… also I think for gay people when you are more “feminine” then other masculine gay kids, there’s a huge difference, that’s why Harry’s parents were more “ok” with that, they probably noticed when he was more older, and they had to payed attention to real adolescence issues
Helluva pull quote, Nick! I’m ready to see the movie on that alone.
How many of those who suffered loses and grieves have not wished that they could go back in time and retouched the ending…????
I definitely related…
Wonderful review guys! Great observations. I loved this film and hope to see it again before it leaves the theater. Cheers from Alabama.
I am wondering now if Adam also died that night in his apt of AIDS. Something he acquired many years before but finally succumb to alone and isolated and cut off from friends and any family. There are so many references to AIDS and dying of AIDS and many scenes with Adam exhibiting classic AIDS symptoms-fever, night sweats, coughing, etc. with his parents, with Harry, in the bar, on the train. The fact that he’s cut himself off from the world and a relationship with a man might suggest that if he has AIDS he is suffering in silence. This would explain why Adam could have died that same night as Harry (of AIDS) and also why Adam wouldn’t invite Harry in the first time (knowing he had AIDS and not wanting to infect anyone)…???
This review makes me want to cry at work😢 Not prepared.
the talent in this movie is outstanding
9:10 Joseph's point here was very well said and explained. Even gave Nick a smile
Saw this in the theater last night with my boyfriend and although we are a straight couple, this movie still had me in tears for multiple reasons! The acting was amazing, the story was gut wrenching, and I loved that drug/dream sequence, it was SO well shot, the cinematography was gorgeous, and I will definitely be watching this again and adding it to my collection once it's available to own! Truly enjoyed every second of this film! ❤
This would translate well into a stage play.
The movie is like a feverish dream. An acurate portrait of the fractured psyque of many gay men. It will reopen old wounds for sure.
Great review!
At the end , Harry seems to be able to see his dead self. If he died after Adam turned him away, how come he never saw his dead body before. After they met in the elevator didn't he go back to his apt?
They only ever went to Adam's apartment. At the end he was visiting Harry's apartment for the first time.
Yes Nick life does happen after love...even if it hurts. I love the conversion that happens between you from the nine minute to twelve and half minute mark. You guys discuss so many aspects of our society in relation to gay culture and family dynamics. For certain I will get emotional watching this film. Since I think about my departed father frequently these days.
I was waiting for this review
Loved this review, one thing I picked up on was a lot of euphemisms for addiction. I think Adam had to be using to get closer to his childhood traumas and unpacking them and it seemed like he was starting to go through withdraw in the scene on the train where he catches glimpse of Harry. Let me know if I am way off on this lol
I thought that too
This sounds like a good I need to have a cry kind of movie!
Not kidding in the fact that this movie helped me turn myself around because I related so much. It's pretty common to have parental issues as a child, as a queer person. Then you kind of obsess over dissecting it as an adult and sort of wishing it was different by revisiting scenarios that could have been better. I think that's common, but less common is having your parent(s) die early so you never get to deal with it in person. I really related to that. The whole concept of "ghosts" being both a comfort and a hinderance is so interesting. And it makes it even more tragic that your ghosts prevent you from living your life today, from helping people today.
I saw him this evening. I cried like I hadn't in a long time. beautiful movie. 4 out of 5. Ciao ragazzi
Oh man, I wish I hadn't heard about the ending in this video even though there's "SPOILER ALERT" in the title, LOL.
Excellent film, excellent performances. Everybody should see this because it's universal.
Had the movie closely mirrored the book, it would have delved into a far more supernatural realm than the director intended when adapting it for the screen. In the book, the protagonist's visits to his parents result in a draining of his life force, visibly aging him and weakening his body. He remains oblivious to this physical decay until his neighbor intervenes, reciting a prayer that unveils the toll it has taken on him and advises him to sever ties with his parents. Contrary to the movies narrative, where the parents instigate the separation, the protagonist makes the decision to break off contact. Furthermore, the book depicts the parents interacting with other real people, blurring the line between reality and illusion, leaving the protagonist uncertain of what is real. As the story unfolds, it is uncovered that the neighbor has been exploiting the protagonist's for his life force, adding a sinister layer to the narrative. When he learns of her deceit, he falls out of love with her, and she vanishes, as the life force drain apparently requires mutual love. I am truly grateful that Andrew Haigh chose to eschew the supernatural elements and maintain an ambiguous tone, as it significantly elevated the films emotional resonance, particularly in its exploration of grief, identity, and trauma.
My partner and I, who have been together for over 35 years, just watched this tonight. I had to come here to see what you guys thought. I sadly wish I liked it more. I understood what was going on - the loneliness, loss, not getting chances to say goodbye, etc. - but it felt like maybe a good episode of Black Mirror. But I can see why a lot of people love it - people just love these sad gay movies.
Nick’s comment about my generation being “lost” was sadder. Lol.
Wow adapted from a 1987 novel and I guess it's in a theater near me Dec 22 which happens to be my birthday I will be 36 years old
Wow I never saw a trailer for this so I just clicked on it on Hulu and I was not prepared!!! 😭 such a sad but good movie! I have questions if someone feels inclined to help my slow ass out!
1- Why wasn’t Adam shocked to find him dead?
2- Are we to assume he is going to eventually disappear like his parents did or will he and Adam be together forever? More so is he a ghost or is he living inside his brain?
Thanks!
My take is that Adam died in a fire and why everyone kept saying he felt hot and his skin was red. His spirit went downstairs and looked up, and saw Paul's spirit. Paul died a while ago. He even said, "Why didn't anyone find me?" He showed up with the same bottle at the end as in the elevator and with his body. Also, they kept talking about the smell, which would mean he didn't die after Adam's rejection.
Ive just seen this film in NZ , it seems like the spirit or ghost story of lives past for the Adam character who alternates between nuanced and a little wooden.Its like an existential film with magic realism . Of the western urban gay man motif with a disruption, a trauma, a childhood loss and yet not living in the present , as a cautionary tale. The film had a depth, the review was good and full. I agree with the rating though I was asked , after the credits were rolling and gave it slightly higher score , because of the emotional impact. Also I lived in London during the 1980s so it had another aspect from my own experience and partial grief. So it was nostalgic ,about the modern epidemic of loneliness yet it also had hope. It reminds a little me of the Liverpool working class , 1980s catholic family films of Terence Davies of the UK which were more subtle around both the sexuality and purgatory themes. It lingers and the book was written in 1987 and the gay British music such as Pet Shop Boys is a poignant hindsight and apt. The Irish actors lent another cultural aspect as one could be not be very Irish on London in the 80s it was almost easier to be gay by the mid eighties of the Thatcher-Reagan era. Yet it was the era of AIDs, addictions, poll tax, Section 28 repression during this complex time.
I don't think they're ghosts. they're figments of the writer's imagination.
I think theyre all dead, working through their pain before they move on. That's why Adam and Harry turn into a star together at the end. Harry helped Adam out and after Adam and his parents made peace, his Mom told him to help Harry.
I do my own reviews for my Facebook friends. This is what I wrote: Bringing familiar faces to the screen - Jamie Bell from Billy Elliot, Claire Foy from The Crown, Paul Mescal from Normal People, and Andrew Scott from Fleabag - All of Us Strangers is a poignant film which gives ample screen time to its lead (Scott) who delivers a rich and affecting performance. The movie defies genre conventions, blending horror, romance, and surrealism to ask “what if you could speak today to loved ones long passed?” This theme will resonate with many and that’s where I think it hits its stride. For me it’s my mother. What daughter wouldn’t want to reconnect with their mum when she’s been been gone 28 years? What would we say, how would we react? The film is quite a revelation - and while it moves slowly, if you let it, it’ll pull you in. It was a beautiful movie, but it definitely required a bit of work from the audience. B+ (I agree with your 4 out of 5 rating).
It amazes me how almost every project Mescal has been a part; I cry and cry and cry. I am kinda scared to watch this. I am about to watch and I guess I am going to need Kleenex ugh… I just want to see Mescal in a comedy. Something light, that’s all I’m asking. Love Andrew Scott . Maybe I won’t cry but odds are I will.😢😢😢
I find this movie similar to Studio Ghibli’s When Marnie Was There but darker and more mature. Both have a queer baiting moment going on when it comes to loved ones. They both used this time travel that would cease to exist if there’s an outsider. In this case, Harry is the outsider. This movie definitely made me cry.
Moved by your information that this was based on a Japanese based novel. There's a 'foreign culture' foundation right there! A 'tale' of why screenwriters could have reservations of "revisiting" childhood home, for love/approval 😉...Never thought, 'this story' may be appealing, but for your opinions here, it could be 😊
this sounds great
Have you guys seen It's My Party or Boy Culture? Was wondering your thought if you would be willing to do reviews on them.
Great film, was slightly disappointed Harry ended up being a ghost because I thought Adam would then go out into the real world and try to have a connection with Harry. I’m fine with the ending we got though even if I think it somewhat muddled the message of the film. The film goes back and forth between if it wants to be about ghosts or not and seemed to be going with that it doesn’t matter if the parents are “real” or not. Then the ending comes and that becomes a bigger question than I thought it needed to be. It distracted from what was a really resonant and poignant story for me. Really well done cinematography and acting from everyone. Weekend is still my favorite Haigh work, but glad to see he’s putting films out like this still
Saw this today, I cried a lot 🤍
Wait, he's been dead the whole time? Where did I miss that WTF
I started the novel but I never finished as it felt very cold…
Thank you for sharing your movie review. I may watch this movie. It is slightly like one of my most favorite movies called Boy Culture, however this movie All of Us Strangers is very dramatic. 19dec23
Being Queer, yo build worlds for yourself. Worlds that don allow you to be a part of due to societal shunning you. Though this can interpreted as a ghost story, I felt it was more how Adam see´s, moves in his and the ¨real world¨. He´s looking for meaning, love, intimacy and acceptance. Beautiful film with wonderful acting, direction, cinematography and music. I did´t care if it made ¨sense¨. Also, I think the timeline was not linear. He met his parents before he met Harry.
I think on the contrary many many gay men might go through this but end up happy and successful and the deal with their “gay” situation like other problems or obstacles that comes ones way. Thank God for a lot of guys this period comes and goes fast. Btw the ending could have been much better 😊
The best movie last year .
Claire Foy carried this movie
This movie put me in a super weird mood. I was excited to watch it after seeing so many positive comments, but I really wish I spent my Sunday evening watching something else.
It’s a 5/5 for me. It’s a masterpiece, and soon it will be considered a classic!
was Harry dead too?
I loved it till you out Harry died. Great reviews ❤
Terriffic review
I thought they died in a fire.
A 5 out of 5.
You two guys are cool, but this is a five out of five boys.
This movie was depressing. It looks nice I suppose. I couldn't even cry because it was so bleak. That's all.
Sounds very J.G. Ballard-ian. I _must_ catch it, even though it seems a very weird vibe over Christmas -- not _really_ as it's a ghost story, so maybe very fitting.
And Andrew Scott _is_ a gay actor.
Sorry guys, I have to disagree with you on this film. This movie lacked emotional punch to me. I thought the conversations and connection between Adam and his parents were superficial. The coming out scene with Adam and his mother is a prime example. This is the sort of scene we could see in your typical coming out movie, the magical elements aside. Where was the specificity and how does it relate to these characters? Yes Andrew Scott captured the physicality of this character but not much more. He cried during the emotional scenes but so what. Adam came across as bland, generic, and under-developed. I mean no disrespect to the actor; he wasn't given much. Paul Mescal was the saving grace of this film. He added energy to each of his scenes. He was able to convey so much in the initial encounter with Adam. Given the ending, you see the loneliness and desperation in his pitch to sleep with Adam. His nuanced acting allowed the audience to experience this at first as a simple drunken advance and then later as a act of desperation. Most of what transpired in the film was imagined by Adam. What was the impetus behind these imaginings? Yes he was lonely but that wasn't enough for me. I wanted to see what brought him to this point. I wanted to see the juxtaposition of fantasy Adam to reality Adam. This would have added depth to the character of Adam.
Completely agree
Omfggg I need to see this film 🥹🥹🥹 what a beautiful review to what sounds like a beautiful film. As if I needed another incentive other than Mescal and his Harry **** 😅😇🤠
It’s a 5/5 for me. It’s a masterpiece, and soon it will be considered a classic!