I was watching the Stranger Things cast do their 'Four Favourites' with Letterboxd, and when Noah Schnapp listed All of Us Strangers, I got SO excited - this is literally my favourite movie.
As a queer person with family trauma, it hits me in a way that’s hard to put into words. It just touches my soul. And the more I thought about it, the more I realised how similar Adam, the main character, is to Will Byers.
Spoilers for All of Us Strangers + Stranger Things ahead.
Adam is described by his mum as an anxious child, scared of many things and with big feelings. That immediately reminded me of how Joyce describes Will - sensitive, different from the other boys, someone who feels deeply in ways that others don't always understand.
Adam remembers being bullied for being queer and even specifically recalls feeling like a freak. Will experiences the same thing: he's bullied for his perceived queerness and he internalises it, also feeling like a freak because of his differences. Adam and Will were both kids whose identities made them targets and made them feel fundamentally "othered".
Adam's dad is shown to have made homophobic comments, which Adam internalises - much like how Lonnie's use of slurs toward Will profoundly shapes not only how Will sees himself, but also how the community perceives him.
Adam's mum, upon learning he's gay, immediately worries that he'll live a lonely life and fears he might contract AIDS. Will touches on a similar anxiety in his coming-out monologue. He sees his loved ones worrying about how difficult life might be for him because of his queerness, and how that makes him feel inherently wrong.
Both Adam and Will struggle with letting people in. Adam pushes Harry away instead of letting him into his apartment, and Harry tragically dies that night, leaving Adam burdened with guilt. Will, in his own way, also pushes Mike away - he downplays his feelings, reducing his love to a mere crush, and insists he's moved on. By doing this, Will forecloses the possibility of Mike expressing his own feelings, making it harder for Mike to come out and denying himself the one thing he has always longed for. Like Adam, Will sacrifices the possibility of connection out of fear. Adam never thought Harry could love him, just like Will never believed Mike could love him. In trying to protect themselves from getting hurt, they actually do more harm to themselves and others.
Adam and Will both make me feel seen in a very specific way. They both show the struggle of growing up queer in a family and a community that doesn't fully understand you. How this leads you to internalise the idea that you're wrong or a mistake. How this leads to self-sabotage and self-imposed loneliness as you push people away. How painful this is for you but also those who want to love you but are being prevented from doing so.
But they also show the beauty of queer resilience. How queer kids navigate trauma and fear to make space for themselves. How deeply feeling, sensitive, queer kids are worthy of love and connection, even if they struggle to believe it themselves.
After Harry's death, Adam spends his days writing a script where he can undo his mistakes - inviting Harry in and letting their love unfold. I like to imagine that Will and Mike get the same chance: that they, too, can rewrite their ending.
