Netflix’s “The Strays” is a story of a deeply disturbed woman named Neve attempting to find peace through suppressing her identity and past. The film starts with shots of Neve in frustration of the way she is treated due to her race in a rather quaint living environment. This scene is disrupted by moving years into the future. Neve is now seen in a large home with a white husband and two bi-racial children living in a predominantly white neighborhood. This peaceful aura becomes vandalized with people from Neve’s past becoming a part of her present.

The film’s direction by Nathaniel Martello-White easily reminded me of a Jordan Peele directed movie. Through quick eerie shots, Neve is slowly seen to be driven to insanity. The small details of Neve itching her head and suppressing things of black culture reveal Neve is scarred from her old life. The film’s choice in not revealing the true identities of the individuals of Neve’s past allows for the viewer to attempt to connect the disfigurement of dots and still be left in utter shock when they are revealed. he acting of the intruders of Neve’s life by Bukky Bakray and Jorden Myrie will make every viewer find sympathy in their motives. However, there are moments where they could easily be villainized which confused me on why they are portrayed in such a manner.

Chaos centers the film’s last twenty minutes. With only minutes left, I was at the edge of my bed genuinely wondering how the film would end. Neve solves the situation by how she started the film and demonstrates that she will forever be tormented by her old life.

I believe every viewer watched the ending with the words “Are you serious?” leave their mouths.