The 2024 Oscar nominations were announced nearly a month ago, with very few surprises in the lineup. There were the usual snubs and surprises, although the whole affair was remarkably predictable considering the narratives formed by that point in awards season. Even so, there was a truly heartbreaking omission across every major category, and that was Andrew Haigh’s powerful, sorrowful fantasy drama All of Us Strangers.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Few, if any, of us were expecting All of Us Strangers to make the cut — it’s too quiet, too insightful, and too esoteric for the Academy’s tastes. The thing is, it should’ve absolutely dominated the ceremony. It might not be an overstatement to call it the best movie of the year, give or take a Poor Things. And while the Academy paid All of Us Strangers no mind, you really shouldn’t. It’s a modern masterpiece deserving of your time and appreciation, and I’m about to tell you exactly why.
The superb acting
All of Us Strangers features a quartet of riveting performances that went unfairly ignored throughout awards season. In a career-defining performance that ranks among the best of 2023, Andrew Scott is brilliant as Adam, a fortysomething writer who leads an isolated life in London. This is rich, profoundly affecting work from one of the most underrated actors in the business. Adam is an open wound that never quite bleeds, but has never really closed, and Scott beautifully captures the pain and longing within. He’s not broken, but the cracks are showing.
Paul Mescal’s Harry is the perfect companion for Adam’s story, with Mescal complementing Scott’s melancholic performance perfectly. However, it’s Claire Foy and Jamie Bell as Adam’s parents who often dominate the film. All of Us Strangers is a story about unexpressed feelings and unspoken words; Bell and Foy are mesmerizing in the roles of two people who died before they learned how to be parents. Their work is haunting and piercing.
A unique take on the fantasy genre
When one thinks of the fantasy genre, images of dragons, castles, princesses, and medieval settings will often come to mind. Magic, adventure, and the eternal fight of good versus evil are other common elements in the best fantasy movies. However, themes like grief, pain, loss, loneliness, and yearning are seldom seen in fantasy, and if they are addressed, they hardly ever take the spotlight.
Yet, here comes All of Us Strangers, a genre film that finds a clear balance between its fantasy sensibilities and a universal story about the constant craving so many of us can easily understand. Although it remains firmly dramatic, All of Us Strangers isn’t afraid to embrace its fantasy roots, presenting an arcane story of the supernatural bonds that bind us, whether we know it or not.
The soul-piercing message
Loneliness is a tricky business. It’s hard to explain and even harder to understand. All of Us Strangers never tries to; it’s not interested in it, but rather captivated by it. The film is about feelings we can’t often explicitly define, but that we acknowledge within. The characters exist in a state of stasis, caught between memories, emotions, and realms, yet their feelings endure, like the warmth of a tender hand or the comfort of a loving embrace.
All of Us Strangers is a remarkable film. It’s a story about profound sorrow and desperate longing, yes, but also about the unique strength of owning those feelings and accepting them as part of your being. Few films have the power to pierce the soul and carve a place of their own deep within their audience. This is one of them. It’s cathartic, universal, confronting, and deeply rewarding, a singular viewing experience that will not leave your side once you’ve allowed it in.
All of Us Strangers will be available for rent or purchase on February 22.
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