All of Us Strangers

[lookingatthestars]

The film based on the book 'Strangers' with Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal.

I saw it at a film festival and was looking forward to it because of the cast (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell also star). At first I could not get into it, maybe it was just me, but by god did that change. I absolutely loved it, so did everybody else I spoke to. It surpased my expectations of it.  This was the best I've seen Paul Mescal and as for Andrew Scott, well, I'd watch him read the phonebook. He is a master of his craft, seemingly doing nothing but there so much in his face and utterances that we the viewer get so much from. I love that I never think of him as acting, he is just being. Claire Foy and Jamie Bell were so beautiful in their roles. All the actors worked together extremely well.

[alicechallice]

I saw this last night at Cine-city, the Brighton Film Festival (is that where you were?) and also loved it BUT it was soooo sad!! Almost too sad, I thought. My friends and I were split on how much we liked the ending but we all did a fair bit of crying throughout. It was also incredibly sexy, which was nice.

Agree, the acting was phenomenal and it struck a lot of chords with all of us (gay guys in our mid-late 30's). The music was also completely divine.

I'm intrigued to check out the source material. Andrew Haigh is a superb film-maker.

[theatregoer22]

Think it's one I'm going to have to watch again, because on first viewing (at LFF) I was so confused as to how Claire Foy and Jamie Bell could be playing Andrew Scott's parents that it took me out of the film.

[alicechallice]

Nov 20, 2023 21:52:47 GMT theatregoer22 said:

Think it's one I'm going to have to watch again, because on first viewing (at LFF) I was so confused as to how Claire Foy and Jamie Bell could be playing Andrew Scott's parents that it took me out of the film.

I'm assuming you've worked it out by now? 

That's how old they were when they died. 

How discombobulating! I'm going to see it again when it comes out too. 

[lookingatthestars]

Nov 20, 2023 11:46:18 GMT alicechallice said:

I saw this last night at Cine-city, the Brighton Film Festival (is that where you were?) and also loved it BUT it was soooo sad!! Almost too sad, I thought. My friends and I were split on how much we liked the ending but we all did a fair bit of crying throughout. It was also incredibly sexy, which was nice.

Agree, the acting was phenomenal and it struck a lot of chords with all of us (gay guys in our mid-late 30's). The music was also completely divine.

I'm intrigued to check out the source material. Andrew Haigh is a superb film-maker.

Absolutely agree it was very sad. So much so i'm still thinking about it and normally I don't like things that leave me feeling like that, but this was such a beautiful film on many levels that it's a good example of the power of art when it comes to navagating being a human and all that brings.

Completely agree about the soundtrack, what a treat.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler - click to view}
In particular the use of 'The Power of Love' in that final scene. Stunning!

I understand what you mean about it resonating with you. As a straight female I can only every look from the outside in, but it really made me think about how people in the 80's may have had a certain view as opposed to now, the information just wasn't there. But it also made me question what it is exactly that has changed.
Yes it was very sexy, not in a, I suppose gratuitous way, as I think a lot of film seems to do, but again in a very beautiful way that suited the characters/plot.


I will also be watching it again.

[theatregoer22]

Nov 21, 2023 10:57:07 GMT alicechallice said:

Nov 20, 2023 21:52:47 GMT theatregoer22 said:

Think it's one I'm going to have to watch again, because on first viewing (at LFF) I was so confused as to how Claire Foy and Jamie Bell could be playing Andrew Scott's parents that it took me out of the film.

I'm assuming you've worked it out by now? 

That's how old they were when they died. 

How discombobulating! I'm going to see it again when it comes out too. 

Yes. About 3/4's of the way through it all clicked and I enjoyed the final part of the film. But now I understand it I want to see it all again.

[solotheatregoer]

At the risk of sounding repetitive (I praised this a lot in the London Film Festival 2023 thread), this was easily my favourite film in the last few years. Some of the best acting from Andrew Scott. Will definitely be seeing again when it is officially released. Gives me goosebumps just thinking about the concept of being able to have those sorts of conversations with people who are no longer around. I bought the book it is based on and look forward to starting that too.

[solotheatregoer]

I ended up reading the book (Strangers by Taichi Yamada). This is one of those rare cases where the film is much better than the book. The book was good, but I seemed to care less about the main characters. The cast in the film really brought these characters to life.

[karloscar]

I wonder who is trying to get permission to write the musical version of this. Could be a beautiful chamber piece with a cast of four or five.

[danb]

Can’t wait to see this again when it comes to streaming; such a beautiful piece of work.

[karloscar]

BAFTA fecks up again failing to recognise that Andrew Scott's performance carries this film. And yet again a straight guy gets nominated for playing a gay role.

[Jonnyboy]

Not seen this yet so can’t comment on who deserves what, but let’s not have this thing where gay actors can only play gay and straight only straight.

[lookingatthestars]

Dec 10, 2023 13:17:55 GMT solotheatregoer said:

I ended up reading the book (Strangers by Taichi Yamada). This is one of those rare cases where the film is much better than the book. The book was good, but I seemed to care less about the main characters. The cast in the film really brought these characters to life.

That's interesting, it's normally the book that people prefer but I can imagine how this film would be better, it's so beautifully shot and acted.

[lookingatthestars]

I was surprised Andrew Scott wasn't nominated for a BAFTA, esp as his work is so well known in the UK. I thought his performance was one of the best i've seen this year, it really should have been reconised. Himself and Paul Mescal are on Graham Norton tonight.

[teamyali]

I can’t believe that BAFTA had the guts to snub Andrew??!! WTF!! I mean, even Carey Mulligan was snubbed for her incredible work in Promising Young Woman a few years ago and the jury thing is a hit and miss.

Fingers crossed that Andrew will make history this Wednesday when they announce the nominations for the Oscars! If Andrew AND Colman Domingo will both be nominated for Best Actor, they will be the first openly gay actors since Ian McKellen to be nominated in the lead category, and a first time that it will have two actors in one category. Colman would be the first Black gay Oscar acting nominee if ever.

[danb]

Jan 18, 2024 20:51:17 GMT karloscar said:

BAFTA fecks up again failing to recognise that Andrew Scott's performance carries this film. And yet again a straight guy gets nominated for playing a gay role.

Mescal is fine in this but it is definitely Scott’s film. Would love to see a supporting nod for Foy too.

[mattnyc]

I’m so angry that this was completely shut out by the Oscars today. Still my favorite film of 2023. Just crazy..

[solotheatregoer]

Jan 24, 2024 0:39:44 GMT mattnyc said:

I’m so angry that this was completely shut out by the Oscars today. Still my favorite film of 2023. Just crazy..

Yep, I’m with you. I’ve now seen all the best picture nominees and all performances in the four main acting categories and Andrew Scott’s performance remains the standout for me. I would say this is in my top 3 films and performances of all time. Just got back from a second viewing. It’s the perfect film and the ending still gives me goosebumps. Would love to see this adapted as a play at some point.

I genuinely can’t believe how this received zero Oscar nominations when I look at the other nominees. All the leads put in great performances as I have come to expect from them but Andrew’s performance will stay with me for a long time.

[mattnyc]

Jan 26, 2024 23:11:01 GMT solotheatregoer said:

Jan 24, 2024 0:39:44 GMT mattnyc said:

I’m so angry that this was completely shut out by the Oscars today. Still my favorite film of 2023. Just crazy..

Yep, I’m with you. I’ve now seen all the best picture nominees and all performances in the four main acting categories and Andrew Scott’s performance remains the standout for me. I would say this is in my top 3 films and performances of all time. Just got back from a second viewing. It’s the perfect film and the ending still gives me goosebumps. Would love to see this adapted as a play at some point.

I genuinely can’t believe how this received zero Oscar nominations when I look at the other nominees. All the leads put in great performances as I have come to expect from them but Andrew’s performance will stay with me for a long time.

Every year, the Academy does a couple things hey just baffle me. How this didn’t get nominations for Scott, Mescal (and even Foy & Bell) is just beyond me. Yes there’s a lot of great performances recognized but for me, none were as good as these. Not even a screenplay nomination. Shameful, really.

[jr]

Overrated film. I found it slow, boring and repetitive. It tries too hard to make you cry but there isn't enough depth for me to care about the story or the protagonist.

I am not a fan of Andrew Scott but he gives a great performance here. 2/5

[alessia]

Jan 31, 2024 6:58:27 GMT jr said:

Overrated film. I found it slow, boring and repetitive. It tries too hard to make you cry but there isn't enough depth for me to care about the story or the protagonist.

I am not a fan of Andrew Scott but he gives a great performance here. 2/5

I agree that it is a bit over rated, 5 stars is generous from the Guardian I feel. I liked it a lot though. The actors are great, and I would give 4 stars just because of them. 

[Jonnyboy]

Just back from this. Four outstanding performances and it just floored me. I cried a lot which is not usual for me.

Completely amazing film.

[Marwood]

I also wasn’t impressed: I’ve spent all my life in Croydon and there has never been anything in the Whitgift Centre you would go to for a treat, let alone a diner (a crap pub that got demolished about 30 years ago and a cheap Thai restaurant that closed down about ten years ago is about it) so that ‘emotional’ scene just didn’t land for me, and I just felt detached (and bored) by the time it finished.

[amyja89]

Saw this a couple of days ago, really great but not perfect in my opinion.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler - click to view}
Loved absolutely everything to do with Andrew Scott and his relationship/trauma with his parents, that whole thing worked so well as a contained ghost story, so much so that I don't know if the added extra of Paul Mescal's character also having died was needed. It felt almost unnecessarily cruel for Scott's character.

As a gay woman who has often wondered what my great grandmother who I was very close to growing up would think of my 'lifestyle' if she had survived into my teen years and adulthood, all of the stuff with Claire Foy in particular hit me like a tonne of bricks.

[mkb]

Four stars for me, but I so wanted it to be five.

Despite being a gay man with a 70s/80s childhood, I didn't feel much resonance, and I was not as emotionally invested in proceedings as I should have been. I felt Adam's response from his parents was more wishful thinking and felt like contemporary 2020s parental understanding rather than realistic 1990s, but that's ok as the character is desperately seeking catharsis.

Great writing and acting though. Felt like it should have been a stage play.

SPOILER: Click to show

I read a few takes that settled on the ghost story interpretation, but I would argue that other readings are still possible despite the ending. I'm not sure the dialogue is entirely unambiguous that Harry killed himself immediately after the first encounter and not towards the end. But no matter which of those you go for, we see Adam trying to write, and it's quite appropriate that the viewer should be invited into Adam's tortured mind as he tries to play out the conversations that could have been. That the director and editor use none of the usual film-making shorthand cues to indicate what is real and what is not, ultimately came across as ever so slightly pretentious rather than original.