What it’s about
Gay middle-aged writer Adam (Scott) is in a rut. Living alone in a mostly vacant, antiseptic high-rise in London, he’s making little progress on his screenplay. He meets Harry (Mescal), another lonely soul and fellow resident, and the two start a tentative relationship. Writing about his childhood, Adam gets drawn back to the suburban home where he grew up. There he encounters his parents (Bell and Foy) once again, just as they were before perishing in a car accident thirty years before. Though all in his mind, this unexpected reunion may give Adam the inspiration and perspective he desperately needs.
Why we love it
Haigh’s sensitive, touching fantasy drama, which he adapted from Taichi Yamada’s book, deftly explores themes of grief, alienation, and longing, as we follow Andrew’s journey to finally come to grips with a family tragedy that’s hobbled him ever since. Irish actor Scott delivers a simmering performance that makes Adam’s existential pain palpable, but the whole cast is superb, with Foy a stand-out as Adam’s mother. Highlight: the scene where Adam tells her he’s gay. If you’re seeking an uncommonly wise and wistful human drama, get acquainted with “Strangers.”