“I know that I was never good at saying it-I couldn’t get the words out. But I do love you, very much. Somehow even more now that I know you,”(Dad).
February 2024
Throughout my freshman year, my roommates and I frequently found ourselves venturing downtown to one of the many AMC theaters in the city. We saw movies like “The Nun,” “Poor Things,” “Thanksgiving,” and more. Last February, one of my hometown friends came to visit me, and we decided that to start off our weekend full of activities, we would go see a movie: “All of Us Strangers.” We all had been major fans of Paul Mescal already. “Normal People” had a lasting impact on our interpretation of his acting skills: his expression and mannerisms in speaking encapsulated emotion so easily. With that, we went into this movie expecting an emotional rollercoaster, and that’s what we received.
Synopsis
In the heart of London stands a desolate apartment building with only a few tenants, one of which being Adam (Andrew Scott). Adam is a middle-aged screenplay writer, attempting to navigate loneliness in this loud city. His days blur together and have lost a bit of significance, until a neighbor, Harry (Paul Mescal), who lived there unbeknownst to him, knocks on his door to ask for drinking company. Adam was quick to reject Harry’s request, without recognizing that Harry had been experiencing the same loneliness that Adam had. In an attempt to combat this feeling, Adam turns to nostalgia: looking through old pictures of his parents and him before they had passed when he was twelve. Consequently, Adam goes to visit his hometown and childhood home. But what he wasn’t expecting was his deceased parents living just as they did 30 years ago, before they passed. Threatened by curiosity, Adam embarks on this journey of getting to know his parents at his grown age, leaving their relationship open to reconciliation. Throughout this experience, Adam and Harry interact, and their relationship blossoms while they both dive deeper into each other’s presence without knowing how much loneliness consumed them both.
Background
Recently, almost two years after viewing the film for the first time, I read the novel that the movie is based on, the 1987 novel, “Strangers,” by Taichi Yamada. This version of the story takes place in Tokyo and follows along the same storyline as the film. The novel has more of a ghostly twist to it, which the movie does not necessarily touch on at all. It does, however, dive deeper into the main character’s emotions about the entire situation, how he feels seeing his parents, and the way he analyzes their behavior. I would prefer the film purely because of my emotional reaction to the visual scenes. But in terms of the details and unanswered questions you might have from the movie, the novel is preferable.
My Review
If I am going to be honest, this movie really provoked hysterical reactions from my friends and me. The way that Adam goes about interacting with his parents opens this door for resolution toward the emotional neglect he faced during his childhood. There were plenty of emotional conversations and apologies, which not many families find themselves mature enough to give. In the end, you recognize that parents are people too, which, in retrospect, sounds silly, but this superhuman cover-up that children instinctually place over their parents at a young age becomes damaged over time by conflict or disappointment. Parents are not made to be all-knowing and all-providing; they are mistake makers just like the rest of us. Adam and Harry’s relationship involved a lot of emotional dependence. They unpacked so much of one another, learning the intricacies of the emotional turmoil they faced when they were kids. In that sense, they become for one another what they always sought out in other people: a companion. From this movie, you are able to draw so many conclusions and build thoughts and perspectives on your own life. Grab your tissues and be prepared for an emotional reaction!