REVIEW: All My Strangers takes a direct hit on lonely hearts

The British filmmaker’s film based on Taichi Yamada’s 1987 book Strangers is as beautiful as it is utterly devastating.

The intimate atmosphere of the reclusive screenwriter Adam’s apartment contrasts sharply with the hustle and bustle of the big city, which is laid back in the film, and underlines a lifestyle that is not hidden behind shyness, caution or the professional stereotype of all self-absorbed writers, but a great search and longing for loved ones.

The void in his soul is filled by his neighbor Harry, who slowly finds his way through the defense mechanisms and shell that Adam has developed.

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The two grow closer, but little does the new friend know that it won’t be easy to heal the hole in his life. Only Adam’s parents, whom he visits in the suburbs, are partially successful. The problem is, it’s been years since death.

All My Strangers seamlessly blends serious and light-hearted discussions, questions that have never been asked, and a closeness that lingers at least in Adam’s heart. But it is not at all a trivial ghost story or a mysterious crutch to enrich the film.

Although Adam’s encounters are unhealthy and definitely balance on a thin line between sadness and loss of reason, they are the embodiment of real feelings and believable situations that, unlike Adam, most people do not give a tangible or visual impression.

However, closeness to reality is extremely important, and in the moments when we as viewers lose ourselves in the dialogue and forget that it is just a fantasy, the film works best. The hero alternates between discussions with his father, mother and both at the same time, bringing his life closer after years of separation.

He touches on his loneliness, orientation, the transformation of society and reveals sore spots in direct confrontation with the people he loved and still loves. He opens up the most during trips out of town, but he gradually lets Harry in as well. And even where the mentioned reality is lost.

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The apartment becomes safe thanks to the proximity of the new love, but the refuge remains further in time and space. A collision with the real world is, of course, inevitable, which Adam does not want to admit and remains closed to such possibilities.

Haigh brilliantly balanced the desire to turn back time with Adam’s life in a time that is objectively better for him in a number of ways. The picture is strongly personal and the waves of emotions play a great role in it. Everything is added by the intimate acting of all the protagonists and the simple decision to accept the fantasy genre as a part of human thinking.

The cast is brilliant, which goes hand in hand with the adapted material. Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal give some of the most outstanding performances of their careers, and although they did not make it to the nominations for the main acting awards, they certainly have a place in the wider selection.

Mescal transforms from a laid-back dad (Aftersun) or a shy student (Normal People) to a bohemian young man who seduces a quiet, piercing-eyed tenant and supports him in his grief.

Scott does an excellent job with facial expressions that accentuate his shyness and at the same time hide his desire to restart his lonely life. His conciliatory smile as inhibitions and coyness fall also resonates with the unresolved burden the film carries. Both men are excellently seconded by Jamie Bell and, above all, by Claire Foy, because the maternal feeling in her performance shines for miles.

It’s easy to relate to Haigh’s picture, because loss and endless love are an inevitable chapter of life. However, All My Strangers will just as easily steal a piece of the soul from anyone who has fought or is fighting them, no matter how hidden.

He rips it apart and, with a few surprises, may even return that prized part intact to the sound of the so apt melodies of The Power of Love and Always on My Mind.

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