By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Anu Valia
Starring: Hari Dhillon | Kirby Howell-Baptiste | Maria Dizzia | Paul Adelstein | Sarah Goldberg
Year: 2025
Running time: 88
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21824868
Jeff says: “WE STRANGERS uses comedy and some pretty pointed satire to explore issues of race and class, combining elements of PARASITE and NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN. Ray (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), a Black woman, works for a commercial cleaning service in Gary, Indiana when Neeraj Patel (Hari Dhillon), the local new-age guru and one of her clients, hires her to clean his house. On her first day with him, he asks, for reasons not quite clear, that Ray also clean his neighbor, Jean’s (Maria Dizzia) house. Jean’s a nosy woman who seems to have issues with Neeraj. Ray co-exists with these people in their households, including Neeraj’s wife, Tracy (Sarah Goldberg), and their teenaged daughter, Sunny (Mischa Reddy). As she comes ever more into their confidences, she begins to realize opportunities by which she might gain some leverage and extra cash, if she can only put up with the pains in the ass these tightly wound, upper-middle-class twits all are. They come in for some exquisite knife twisting, as when Ray point blank asks to be paid for a service she has offered and emotions chase across their faces, outrage at her insolence, and shame for their classist and racist prejudices. They hand over the cash. Brilliant. The flat, crumbling northern Indiana landscapes provide their own commentary on the desiccated lives these people lead. A nice little coda shows Ray living her genuine life among her own people, which prompts us to ponder what a truly lived life looks like. Special mention goes to sound production. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a more faithfully rendered InSinkErator in any other movie I’ve ever watched. 4.5 cats.”
Michael says “Kirby Howell-Baptiste found the perfect film role after the stint at Death, in Netflix’s The Sandman series. While playing a young woman cleaning houses in a privileged white community while helping to support her mother and sister, a very different character than the embodiment of Death, Howell retains the mischievous, wise persona that fits her so well, that her more philosophical role possessed. When the doctor for whom she works recommends her to a neighbor, Howell’s Rachelle, finds herself embroiled even further in the subtle world of white privilege, where her new employer wants a confidante perhaps, even more than a house cleaner, but still retains a definitely boundary about roles. To liven things up, after seeing her employer caught up in a talk show with a medium as a guest, Rachelle somehow mentions that she is psychic and can do readings. Things progress there in ways that are sometimes funny, sometimes uncomfortable, and sometimes just strange.
Chris says: “A hidden gem that provides Kirby Howell-Baptiste with a great leading role and offers fresh perspectives on class, race and thinking on one’s feet. 4 cats.”
Julie says: “I loved this one. A definite nom for leading actor, original screenplay, prod design and possibly editing. the drain vs juicing shot was excellent use of class juxtaposition.
“Just to add to what’s already been said, I loved a few bits at the end of this interview with the director which has no spoilers as I cut at the right place to share:
“At the end of our interview, Valia described her directorial role as being a caretaker of the film, allowing it to ‘become its own thing’ rather than fully controlling it. We Strangers mirrors that same caretaker role: it reflects society rather than dictates it. It shows us hunger and separation, pushing us to ask where true meaning and belonging is found. Until then, WE STRANGERS lingers with the viewer like that half-remembered dream: searching, questioning, restless. It’s a strong directorial debut, and it left me excited to see what future cinematic questions — and perhaps answers — Anu Valia has in store.
“I agree I can’t wait to see what Anu will do next.”