[5][6][7][8][9] The story centers on Anthony (Raphael Barker, Shortbus), an eager small-town newcomer to San Francisco dealing with an abusive ex-lover, who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Gavin, a teenage homeless street hustler.

Almost effortlessly, Gavin comes and goes, unexpectedly becoming a playful and nurturing force in Anthony's life, even taking on a parental role at times.

Hitting bottom in his emotional spiral, Anthony attempts to turn his life around by embarking on a mission to find his young friend.

[10] Originally conceived as a hybrid documentary-fiction portrait about San Francisco's Tenderloin district, writer-director Boswell wrote the 108-page script only after casting lead actor Raphael Barker.

Boswell acknowledges that Barker's interest in the project altered his approach, causing him to opt instead to create an autobiographical narrative: “I credit him [Barker] indirectly for the trajectory that the process of making the film took….It became more and more traditional in its scope…the lead character is more or less a surrogate for my own story.”[11] The Stranger in Us received critical praise during its festival run.