The Humans [Video Review]

Published on December 7, 2021

Premiering at the 2021 Toronto Intl. Film Festival, Lebanese-American playwright and screenwriter (The Seagull) Stephen Karam adapted his one act stage play for a walled dwelling where the corridors appear to eavesdrop. An A24/Showtime release, The Humans proposes a scare or two, but at its core, this Thanksgiving-themed tale is about the long game. Thesps Richard Jenkins, Jayne Houdyshell, Amy Schumer, Beanie Feldstein, Steven Yeun and June Squibb are entangled in a meditation on the nature of proximity, disconnection, and intimacy. Brady Corbet’s cinematographer Lol Crawley climbs into the belly of this apartment turning this collective’s emotions upside down and inside out. Here is Nicholas Bell’s review:

Producers: Louise Lovegrove, Stephen Karam.
Director: Stephen Karam
Writer: Stephen Karam
Camera: Lol Crawley.
Editor: Nick Houy.
Music: Nico Muhly.
Cast: Richard Jenkins, Jayne Houdyshell, Amy Schumer, Beanie Feldstein, Steven Yeun, June Squibb.

Nicholas Bell

Los Angeles based Nicholas Bell is IONCINEMA.com's Chief Film Critic and covers film festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, Cannes and TIFF. He is part of the critic groups on Rotten Tomatoes, The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) and GALECA. His top 3 for 2021: France (Bruno Dumont), Passing (Rebecca Hall) and Nightmare Alley (Guillermo Del Toro). He was a jury member at the 2019 Cleveland International Film Festival.