All of Us Strangers

All of Us Strangers is a 2023 British romantic fantasy film written and directed by Andrew Haigh, and loosely based on the 1987 novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada. It stars Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell, and Claire Foy. The second feature adaptation of the novel, after the Japanese film The Discarnates (1988), the film follows a lonely screenwriter who develops an intimate relationship with his mysterious neighbour while revisiting memories from the past.

All of Us Strangers premiered at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on 31 August 2023, and was released in the United Kingdom by Searchlight Pictures on 26 January 2024. It received critical acclaim, was named one of the top ten independent films of 2023 by the National Board of Review, and earned six BAFTA Award nominations. The film was also named Film of the Year and LGBTQ Film of the Year by GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (Dorian Awards).

Lonely television screenwriter Adam lives a secluded life in London. At his tower block, he meets his drunk neighbour Harry, who has noticed him in the building and wants to join him for the night. Reluctantly, Adam declines and sends Harry away.

Adam takes up writing and decides to visit his suburban childhood home, now unoccupied. He encounters his parents, who both died in a car accident decades earlier just before he was twelve, and appear as they did at the age they died. Adam has dinner with them and promises to visit again.

Returning to his flat, Adam encounters Harry by the lift. He finally works the courage to reciprocate Harry's interest. They quickly develop strong feelings for each other. Harry confides how distant he feels from his own family, and Adam opens up about the loss of his parents.

Adam has several subsequent meetings with his parents. During a talk with his mother, Adam reveals his sexual orientation and they discuss it. His mother accepts that Adam is gay, but reacts with concern and slight discomfort. On a later visit with his father, Adam discusses being hurt by his father's silence about the bullying Adam experienced as a child. The two tearfully reconcile and hug.

Later, as Adam and Harry's relationship flourishes, the two go clubbing and take ketamine. Adam admits it is his first time, and, Harry implies that he is a frequent user. During the ketamine trip, Adam finds himself in his childhood bed, this time at Christmas. They hang lights on the Christmas tree together and celebrate happily as music plays. Unable to sleep, Adam gets in bed with his parents and tells his mother about being sent to stay with his grandmother after her death, which his mother laments.

Harry suddenly appears next to Adam, before Adam now finds himself on an Underground train and sees Harry in various places on the train and in the station, but not recognizing Adam. Adam sees a distorted vision of his younger self screaming in the reflection of the train car.