It’s been six years since Andrew Haigh’s remarkable Lean on Pete, which happens to be yet another addition to the British director’s eclectic collection of films to date, despite his relatively small body of work.

All of Us Strangers although only his fifth film, is yet another example of an original film, with the director’s keen sense for the emotive very much on display.

Living in an impressive new tower block in London is Adam (Andrew Scott). He’s a writer, but he’s struggling with his latest work; perhaps it’s because the material is very close to home, being as it is about his parents, who both died in a car crash when he was only fourteen.

Adam is briefly distracted by a neighbour, Harry (Paul Mescal), who has made himself known on his doorstep, albeit a little worse for wear.

To hopefully help with his project, Adam decides to visit his family home. But once there, he gets far more than a blast from the past, as his parents are home, just as they would have been 30 years ago.

This will be a hard watch for anyone who has struggled with the death of a parent. Haigh taps into that well of emotion by having his character literally face his past. This allows him to almost pick up their relationship from where it left off, as he tells them of the kind of man he has become.

It’s a simple enough premise, like a Back to the Future for grown-ups, but instead of a DeLorean, Adam gets there on a suburban train. It’s a painfully heartfelt journey, as Adam confronts his past and his parents, played by Jamie Bell and Claire Foy, with some deeply moving scenes.

It’s a film that ticks a number of boxes, of love lost and found, family bonds, the grieving process, as well as a little mental health thrown in for good measure.

Scott is remarkable, in a role that initially at least, is reserved and subdued, only to unravel emotionally the deeper into his ethereal journey he dives.

Mescal makes the perfect emotional foil, proving why he is so very much in demand. It’s also impressive that despite his incredible success, and his leading role status, he was willing to take a back seat in a secondary, supportive role and allow Scott the limelight he deserves.

Haigh’s film is both tender and fragile, exploring the kind of themes that can, out of nowhere, strike quite a nerve.

It captures the complicated nature of all relationships, served up on a fantastical plate.

Six years is a long time between projects, especially for such a raw and unique talent such as Haigh, so we can only hope that he’s less of a stranger behind the camera, and that we don’t have to wait as long until his next emotional rollercoaster.