From the opening scene, involving Adam navigating his monotonous and lonely life, I could tell that I knew I would love this movie just for its characters alone. I relate to Adam in lots of ways and his arc throughout the film moved me to tears on multiple occasions.
I'm very thankful for Andrew Haigh and his direction. In All of Us Strangers and his previous works he employs very simple yet beautiful camera placement that makes it so easy to gaze in awe of it.
As for the story, I also loved every minute of it. I've already expressed my love for the quietness and melancholy of the opening scene, so I'll move on. When we finally meet Adam's parents it's very disorienting how well Adam plays along. He immediately accepts it and from that you can put together just how much he's been missing them and I thought that was sweet. Once his cycle of life has been punctured he tries his luck with Harry and it goes well. I found Their dialogue to be very true to the queer, or gay, experience. What I love most about Harry and Adam is that they feel like Authentic gay men that aren't trying to make a statement or that feel too one-dimensional. Which again I thank Andrew Haigh and Andrew Scott for bringing in their own experiences as gay men to further authenticate these characters. Paul Mescal plays gay very well. His and Andrew Scott's chemistry feels too good to be true I wish they would actually date. Anyway... As soon as we fell into the cycle of; during the day, Adam'll see his parents and during the night, Adam will be with Harry- I was a little concerned for what was left of the story but then we get this adorable transition of Adam and Harry going to a club. And what starts out very cute and fun, switches to this deeply traumatic and what I believe to be one of the most HAUNTING and Horrifying sequences of the year. I was hyperventilating. I'd trust Andrew Haigh to make a Horror movie next. And this scene being the bisector of the movie felt very apt. From this point on it's really only... cinematic Trauma. We get one of the saddest yet cathartic moments of film since last Years "Aftersun". And when we reach the final scene it gets so much sadder. The plot twist is apparently very controversial, but I found myself loving it (but I hate it for how petrified it left me).
No film this year has occupied my mind like All of Us Strangers has. A subdued, tactical, emotional vehicle of a film that left me speechless for hours. I watched it yesterday and it is still ever present in my soul. I loved it. 10/10. 100/100. 1,000/1,000.
I'm very thankful for Andrew Haigh and his direction. In All of Us Strangers and his previous works he employs very simple yet beautiful camera placement that makes it so easy to gaze in awe of it.
As for the story, I also loved every minute of it. I've already expressed my love for the quietness and melancholy of the opening scene, so I'll move on. When we finally meet Adam's parents it's very disorienting how well Adam plays along. He immediately accepts it and from that you can put together just how much he's been missing them and I thought that was sweet. Once his cycle of life has been punctured he tries his luck with Harry and it goes well. I found Their dialogue to be very true to the queer, or gay, experience. What I love most about Harry and Adam is that they feel like Authentic gay men that aren't trying to make a statement or that feel too one-dimensional. Which again I thank Andrew Haigh and Andrew Scott for bringing in their own experiences as gay men to further authenticate these characters. Paul Mescal plays gay very well. His and Andrew Scott's chemistry feels too good to be true I wish they would actually date. Anyway... As soon as we fell into the cycle of; during the day, Adam'll see his parents and during the night, Adam will be with Harry- I was a little concerned for what was left of the story but then we get this adorable transition of Adam and Harry going to a club. And what starts out very cute and fun, switches to this deeply traumatic and what I believe to be one of the most HAUNTING and Horrifying sequences of the year. I was hyperventilating. I'd trust Andrew Haigh to make a Horror movie next. And this scene being the bisector of the movie felt very apt. From this point on it's really only... cinematic Trauma. We get one of the saddest yet cathartic moments of film since last Years "Aftersun". And when we reach the final scene it gets so much sadder. The plot twist is apparently very controversial, but I found myself loving it (but I hate it for how petrified it left me).
No film this year has occupied my mind like All of Us Strangers has. A subdued, tactical, emotional vehicle of a film that left me speechless for hours. I watched it yesterday and it is still ever present in my soul. I loved it. 10/10. 100/100. 1,000/1,000.