All of Us Strangers - Review (London Film Festival 2023)

You Were Just a Boy. 4.5 / 5

Directed by Andrew Haigh.

Adam is pulled back to his childhood home where he discovers that his long-dead parents are both living and look the same age as the day they died over 30 years ago.

Taking me totally by surprise, All of Us Strangers is a stunning and therapeutic film that ensures that there won't be a dry eye in the house by the time the credits roll.

Andrew Scott leads this exploration of self, grief and sexuality with a gut-wrenching central performance. His isolated nature begins to crack as he meets Paul Mescal's Harry whose appearance and new-found energy in his life forces him to explore his past which is where the film takes on an ethereal and sombre nature.

As the grief from his past begins to manifest, Scott's Adam comes face to face with his long-deceased parents beginning the film's journey of self-reflection and acceptance. Andrew Haigh has created a film that personifies so elegantly the confusion and longing that grief brings, giving the cinematic gift of therapeutic relief even if it's just for a moment.

Sometimes going into a film without knowing much about it can be a gift and sometimes it can hit you like a train. This fascinating film not only has a magnetic emotional core but pairs it with poignant performances and skilled direction making for an extraordinary final product that took my breath away.

One of the best of this year's London Film Festival with a devastating needle drop that will be always on my mind.

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Written by Jack Aling ​Read his latest reviews at: letterboxd.com/TheJackAling