by Foster Harlfinger, Contributing Writer
An undeniable tension permeates Stephen Karam’s The Humans, an adaptation of his own Tony-award-winning play. Though it may be Karam’s directorial debut, he expertly supplements his thought-provoking dialogue with all the tools cinema has to offer, though the film’s repetitive structure teases its audience in a way which will surely present a challenge to many viewers.
Brigid Blake (Beanie Feldstein) and her boyfriend, Richard (a delightfully quirky Steven Yeun), have opened the gates to their rundown New York apartment for a familial Thanksgiving celebration. Though The Humans is an ensemble piece through and through, much of the film is viewed through the world-weary lens of Brigid’s father, Erik, skillfully portrayed by Richard Jenkins. As the complexity of Erik’s role in the family gradually unfolds, so too do the personal struggles of every member of the Blake family. In a surprise dramatic turn from Amy Schumer, we learn of Brigid’s older sister Aimee’s personal heartbreak and increasingly distressing medical troubles. On the other hand, the mental state of Erik’s wheelchair-bound mother “Momo” (June Squibb — an always welcome addition to any ensemble cast) is in decline as the result of an ever-worsening case of Alzheimer’s disease. Though each cast member gets the chance to chew into Karam’s artfully written dialogue, the standout of the film is Jayne Houdyshell’s reprisal of her Tony-award winning turn as Erik’s wife, Dierdre, a devoutly religious mother who quietly (but not-so-subtly) laments her daughters’ rejection of her and her husband’s faith.
In spite of this classic family drama set-up, The Humans — much like this year’s Spencer — features an undeniable sense of tension and dread. The film is shot and edited in a way that plays with many horror tropes. Picture the first half of films like 2017’s Mother or 2018’s Hereditary. The Humans plays within a similar horror playground through its use of eerily omniscient cinematography and its fair share of unsettling sound effects without fully committing itself to the horror genre. To enter the film expecting a slow-burn to a satisfying horror payoff à la Karyn Kusama’s The Invitation is a recipe for disappointment. The Humans utilizes its horror techniques (and, in some cases, tropes) as a tool to represent the manifestation of our characters’ internal states of mind.
Technical mastery, provocative dialogue, and engaging performances make The Humans worth a watch, though viewers should consider themselves warned that the film will be an ultimately unsatisfying experience for most audience members. The film’s thematic payoff is stimulating, to be sure. However, the admittedly repetitive structure which The Humans employs results in a conclusion that may not be worth the wait for most viewers.
If you are a fan of the A24 tonal aesthetic and enjoy raw, naturalistic dialogue with deliciously layered performances, then you might love this film. I strongly suspect that this is a movie which would reward dissection over the course of multiple viewings. Though The Humans may not be quite impactful enough to warrant such close examination, the film’s compelling finale and seriously awesome final shot will be sure to leave a lasting impression.
Grade: B+
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