The Strays highlights the lesser-discussed ‘British dream’ which romanticises the belief that through simple meritocracy, everyone can change their social standing regardless of race or social class through hard work. Neve does not believe this. She’s fully aware how a proximity to whiteness can increase chances of achieving a very specific version of British success...
The decision to use Neve’s hair as a visual manifestation of her festering anti-Blackness was a clever one...
In The Strays, Blackness is positioned as the very thing to be afraid of. It’s a potentially harmful message that, overall, doesn’t quite sit right.
Neve, on the other hand, is far from remorseful, and the film’s ending equally confused and disturbed me. I am still mad. If you were hoping for an ending where good sense and values are triumphant — and the corrosive ideals of colorism are defeated — sadly, in this horror film, all hope is lost.