I Was A Stranger Review: Unrelenting & Bleak

I Was A Stranger captures the chaos of the Syrian Civil War and refugee crisis, making for an unrelenting, bleak, but purposeful experience.

In this passage, Christ says his true followers are the ones who see him in “the least of these” and help them out of love. While there is little love to be found in this grueling outing, I Was A Stranger may just be the kick-in-the-gut its audience needs to remind them of this horrific issue.

The opening shot zooms in on the Chicago skyline, keeping Trump Tower in a prominent position in the viewer’s line of sight. Like the letters compiling his last name on the side of the skyscraper, the current U.S. President’s presence looms large over the film. Though never explicitly mentioned, Trump’s past (and current) squelching of refugee resettlement lingers in the back of viewers’ minds as they witness the devastating stories of these main characters. Split into five chapters, the film follows five main characters. Not every main character is a refugee, but the effect of the Syrian Civil War is felt in each chapter. Andersen does an ample job of blending and overlapping the stories. That use of the cold, brooding cinematography continues on from the opening shot, along with the sound design and score, building a dark, claustrophobic atmosphere that traps the audiences within the experiences of these characters.

Of the characters, which include a doctor (Yasmine Al Massri), a soldier (Yahya Mahayni), a poet (Ziad Bakri), and a captain (Constantine Markoulakis), it’s Omar Sy’s smuggler who is the clear standout. He brings a sense of urgency to his performance that other members of the cast try to emulate but don’t quite reach the same intensity level. However, each character does have at least one touching moment, imbuing just enough humanity into such a bleak picture.

It’s that sense of humanity that the movie ultimately could have used a little more of. I understand it is dealing with bleak subject matter, but the absence of any levity whatsoever risks an audience growing completely cold and callous to what is unfolding on screen. While the film does not offer any gratuitous violence (and much of the violence is actually kept off-screen, lending the film a hard PG-13 rating), the unrelenting stakes and danger that plague the characters may simply feel like too much. If more moments of real characterization and depth were occurring in each of the main protagonists, maybe that would be enough to keep some viewers invested. As is, though, it may be hard for audiences to latch on to anyone, making the journey of the film that much more difficult for them.

Still, I do think this is a journey worth going on, as bleak and unrelenting as it is. I Was A Stranger unravels multiple layers of this crisis, ones those of us privileged enough to not have to endure it probably would never think of. For that reason — as a blaring horn and a call to action — I Was A Stranger should be seen by anyone who can see it. For those struggling to follow the call of Jesus to welcome in the stranger, this brooding thriller will certainly give you something to think about.

I Was A Stranger will be released in US theaters on January 9, 2026.