The Strays 2023

Cheryl, portrayed by Ashley Madekwe, a black woman, finds herself in a complicated situation while living in an undisclosed location within England. In a moment of vulnerability, she voices her deep concerns regarding discrimination and the weight of financial struggles during a phone call with her sister. A sense of urgency creeps in as Cheryl begins to disregard calls from her spouse and leaves a note on the fridge hinting at her intention to visit the hair salon, suggesting a desire for an escape from the pressures of her daily life.

Fast forward several years, we are introduced to Neve, a fair-skinned black woman married to Ian, played by Justin Salinger. Their mixed-race family includes two biracial children, Sebastian and Mary, with the latter portrayed by Maria Almeida. Neve’s disdain for anything she perceives as tied to ‘black’ culture is palpable, leaving audiences to ponder the roots of her conflicted self-identity. In her role as the deputy headmistress at her children’s school, Neve is ambitious and strives for success, but her home life is tethered to a growing discomfort within herself. The upcoming fundraising gala she plans to host at her home looms above her like a cloud, filled with unaddressed tensions and hidden truths.

Despite her polished exterior, Neve grapples with haunting visions of black individuals, creating a dissonance between her public life and internal struggles. To mask her true identity, she resorts to wearing wigs, a symbol of her complicated relationship with her own heritage. A seemingly innocuous toy car arrives in the mail, triggering fragmented memories and familiarity that disrupt her tenuous grasp on her reality.

In her professional life as a headmistress, Neve excels but hasn’t provided her past school references, leaving a glaring gap in her story. As the narrative unfolds, we witness a strained relationship between Neve and her son Sebastian, who is seen engaging with a black boy—a connection that sets Neve on edge. When Sebastian skips class to indulge in smoking in the woods, the tension escalates further. Meanwhile, Mary, inspired by online fashion trends, braids her hair in an ethnic style, igniting Neve’s fury as she resists her daughter’s embrace of their cultural identity.

Neve’s frustration culminates in an intense scene where she strikes Sebastian after he returns late from a basketball game, a moment that showcases the cyclical rage stemming from her unresolved issues. In a desperate attempt to control the situation, she tries to have the black boy at school dismissed but is warned against accusations of discrimination, highlighting the precariousness of race relations in their world. This thread unravels further when Neve confronts a group of young black individuals who claim familial ties to her—truths she is unprepared to confront.

The narrative then shifts, revealing flashbacks that feature two teenagers, Carl and Dione, who are on a mysterious mission while staying at a hotel. Carl, who adopts the name Marvin, played by Jorden Myrie, and Dione, taking the identity of Abigail, played by Bukky Bakray, aim to infiltrate Neve’s world by befriending her children. Their antics include inviting Mary to their hotel and leading Sebastian into trouble, where he succumbs to peer pressure and violently confronts a school bully.

As tensions build, Dione’s attendance at the gala disturbs what little peace Neve had clung to. The evening spirals when Neve’s children confront her about the family’s secrets, pulling the curtain back on her evasion of responsibility. In a shocking revelation, Cheryl, who has lived in hiding, emerges as Neve’s true identity, acknowledging her past and the reasons behind her decisions to Ian. She confesses how she fled from her marriage and her struggles with her identity, justifying her abandonment as an attempt to escape a life she could no longer endure.

In a dramatic turn of events, Cheryl meets Carl and Dione at a diner, where she offers them ten thousand pounds in a misguided attempt to foster a sense of familial connection. Yet, the reality is stark; her children wish to move into her home, leading to a series of confrontations that culminate in chaos. When Dione and Carl break into the house, they force the family into a hollow celebration, turning the once-safe space into a battleground of emotions and power struggles, where Neve’s refusal to accept her past leads to heartbreaking consequences.

The climax unfolds under the weight of betrayal and violence, resulting in Ian’s apparent demise, triggered by Carl’s aggressive coercion. In the end, Neve’s abandonment becomes chillingly complete as she chooses to leave with a stranger, leaving her children—Mary and Sebastian—standing alone in a flooded living room alongside their new accomplices, Dione and Carl. The final act leaves us questioning not only Neve’s choices but also the complexities of identity, family, and the struggle to escape one’s past.