My viewing experience of ALL OF US STRANGERS was a 🤮, yet the film’s haunting theme has stuck with me for more than 24 hours after viewing it, bumping my review to a 😊. Sadly, unpacking why this film will get under your skin will veer heavily into spoiler territory. And ALL OF US STRANGERS is one of those films where the less you know, the better your experience will be.
So, let’s talk about what does not work…
- Boredom. Yes, you will be bored while watching ALL OF US STRANGERS. It moves around at a snail’s pace. It has the look and feel of a poem, and poetry tends to be abstract, which is not always the best for moviegoing experiences.
- The plot. Wait, there’s none. The movie explores themes, but the plot is simply a boy meets a boy with trauma, and they fall in love. The other themes, which I won’t spoil, come in the 3rd act.
- Headscratching. There will be several moments where you will be left scratching your head, wondering what certain things mean. And for the most part, you’ll get answers to those with some ambiguity by the end.
Now, what does work:
- The theme. Once again, like Voldermort, I cannot mention the film’s theme without spoiling it, but it’s why audiences should spend time in this slow-burn feature.
- The acting. Andrew Scott is phenomenal. We’ve known this since FLEABAG, but once again, he proves he’s leading actor material in a melancholy performance.
- The style. The visual style, with the always floating camerawork and the 80s-infused soundtrack, is fantastic.
I recommend ALL OF US STRANGERS for audiences that like their cinematic experiences to challenge them. It’s a polarizing personal exploration of a big idea that gets stuck in some executional missteps.
It’s available in theatres.
