Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gentle, tender, mature romance about ghosts, second chances.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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All of Us Strangers
What's the Story?
In ALL OF US STRANGERS, scriptwriter Adam (Andrew Scott) lives alone in a nearly empty apartment building in London. An upstairs neighbor, Harry (Paul Mescal), perhaps a little drunk, drops by and flirts, but Adam rebuffs him. Looking for inspiration for a new script, he goes through a box of old things and finds a photo of his childhood home. He gets on a train, finds the house, and, miraculously, finds his parents inside, alive, and preserved as they were when they died in the 1980s. After an emotional visit, Adam returns to find just his Mum (Claire Foy) and then comes back yet again, finding just his Dad (Jamie Bell), giving him an opportunity to speak to each of them separately. Meanwhile, he reaches out to Harry, and the two strike up a relationship that seems promising. But when Adam tries to take Harry to meet his parents, things go drastically sideways.
Is It Any Good?
This drama might sound offbeat, but director Andrew Haigh's gentle, exploring tones make everything seem quite natural. It's a ghost story, perhaps, but there's more than one kind of ghost. Based loosely on a novel by Taichi Yamada and adapted by Haigh, All of Us Strangers is an exceptionally quiet movie, lingering in the spaces between memory and time. Adam is lost, formed by emptiness springing from a tragic childhood and growing up gay during the AIDS crisis. While he seems settled in his life, he frequently answers "I don't know" when asked questions (Scott's performance is deeply affecting). Haigh often shows characters in reflection, indicating their indistinct, perhaps temporary, nature -- and, of course, he never directly answers the question of how Adam's parents are there; they just are.
The relationship between Adam and Harry is refreshingly easy, even tender. When Adam returns from a trip, feverish from having been caught in the rain, Harry draws him a bath. And the conversations between the parents and Adam are extremely open, exploring past hurts and Adam's sexuality, all with thoughtfulness rather than hysteria. In the end, All of Us Strangers doesn't leave off with a clear theme; instead, it suggests that maybe that which is already broken cannot be unbroken, but love helps.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about All of Us Strangers' sexual content. What values are conveyed? Is there consent? Do characters behave maturely?
How are smoking, drinking, and drug use portrayed? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences?
How are gay characters portrayed? Are they multi-dimensional? Do they have agency? Did you notice any stereotypes in play?
Why do you think the filmmaker decided not to explain how Adam is able to see and speak with his parents again? Do you have your own ideas?
When Adam's father says he's proud of him "because you got through," what does he mean?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : March 22, 2024
- Cast : Andrew Scott , Paul Mescal , Jamie Bell , Claire Foy
- Director : Andrew Haigh
- Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Director(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Searchlight Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Book Characters
- Run time : 105 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sexual content, language and some drug use
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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