Netflix viewers have been left 'scarred for life' and struggling to sleep after watching the new horror film The Strays, which premiered last year. The film, starring Ashley Madekwe, follows a black woman who has reinvented herself to fit into a middle-class existence in a predominantly white London suburb, only to be haunted by mysterious strangers.
The plot, as described by Netflix, centres on a woman who has changed her accent, name, and hairstyle to blend into her affluent lifestyle. However, cracks begin to show as she becomes convinced that two strangers do not belong in her neighbourhood, pushing her to breaking point. The cast also includes Bukky Bakray, Jorden Myrie, Samuel Small, Maria Almeida, and Justin Salinger.
Social media platform X has been abuzz with reactions. One viewer wrote: 'Just finished watching The Strays on Netflix and I think I'm scarred for life, because what the hell did I just watch?' Another cautioned: 'If you're trying to sleep well tonight, don't watch The Strays right before bed.' A third added: 'That's some sick s*** I couldn't sleep last night.'
Director Nathaniel Martello-White told The Big Issue that the film explores 'code-switching', a survival mechanism many black people unconsciously adopt. He said: 'In the context of the Black space, I was really interested in if a woman really self-styled herself on those people in that suburb, what would be the cost? And how much effort would that take?'
