The Strays star explains movie's ‘sacrificial, cyclical’ ending

The film had seen Neve's children Carl (Jorden Myrie) and Dione (Bukky Bakray), who she had run out on and pretended didn't exist, coming back into her life.

In the film's final chapter they invade her home, with Carl forcing Ian to bench press weights in his home gym beyond his limits, allowing them to collapse on top of him and crush him to death.

Bakray, who plays Dione in the film, spoke exclusively with RadioTimes.com about the meaning behind this scene, explaining it all comes from classic storytelling techniques.

Bakray said: "Nathaniel [Martello-White, writer/director] has a respect for traditional storytelling techniques. So he always described Ian as the sacrifice. Anyone who's familiar with Greek antiquity and old stories of folklore, there's always that sacrifice – in biblical stories as well. And Ian became that sacrifice."

Bakray continued: "That sacrificial element is very clear to Nathaniel. I think the level of ambiguity in this film, there's intent to it from Nathaniel’s point of view, but I think he wants everyone to do the work. That’s the thing I respect about the film, the film has a respect for its audience.

Read more:

• Idris Elba reveals plans for Luther franchise after Netflix movie
• Andy Serkis almost turned down dark Luther role

"I think it allows people to think and do what they want and takes them on an experience, rather than letting the film hold hands with the audience. They remain a separate entity, you remain as a separate thinker, as an observer of this film, rather than recognising a feeling that you already know.

"But back to the sacrificial element, I think the way Nathaniel shaped that is also to do with, what does Ian being sacrificed mean to you? Is that fair to you? And what does that say about the society that we live in? What does that say about the society in the story?"

Bakray also addressed the very end of the film, which sees Cheryl/Neve escape, leaving her four children in the house alone together - just as she left Carl and Dione years ago.

Bakray said that the "cyclical" nature of the story is "like life" in that it "begins how it ends".

She explained: "I think it's as infuriating as life is. Who we are before we were born is who we are after, depending on your beliefs – it’s that cyclical thing.

"I guess people might be infuriated by the lack of hope in the end, because in most stories people learn their lesson, but if you look at life in real time, we're literally living in the result of people not learning any lessons.

"And I think the family dysfunction, spread it out and it can say something bigger about the world and how we deal with things, how we deal with things with running away and just creating a new life.

"But maybe the thing is not about creating a new life, maybe it's about dealing with what we have now. And that's the lesson that they don't learn in The Strays."

Martello-White previously told RadioTimes.com about the true story that inspired The Strays, and explained how the film deals with the topic of "generational trauma".

The Strays is available to watch on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

If you’re looking for more to watch, visit our Film hub or check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.