Review | Berlin 2026: We Are All Strangers movie review – an epic look at fatherhood in Singapore
A beautiful conclusion to Anthony Chen’s ‘Growing Up’ trilogy, We Are All Strangers is a study of family and love in all its forms
4/5 stars
Following his lacklustre English-language debut Drift (2023) starring Cynthia Erivo, filmmaker Anthony Chen returns to Singapore for the sprawling, surprising and spot on drama, We Are All Strangers.
Fatherhood lies at the core of the new story, as widowed noodle shop owner Boon Kiat (Andi Lim) struggles to connect with his idle 21-year-old son Junyang (Koh Jia Ler). A school dropout, Junyang justifies his laziness by joking that the world’s biggest billionaires also left education early. He even nicknames himself “Steve” (after the Apple founder) during a brief stint in real estate – a job he quickly sabotages.
If Junyang represents a generation desperate for quick riches, his father is the solid, down-to-earth counterweight – a man who has not raised his prices in 10 years. “In life, it’s better to be grounded than to have empty, lofty dreams,” he says.
But he is still willing, at great risk, to pay for his son’s wedding, when he falls for a girl whose snooty mother immediately disapproves: “How can you trust a boy you met at a BTS concert?” she asks.