The Humans
6.191%45%6.1
As a family celebrates Thanksgiving, the loving, tight-knit group tries to hold together in the face of an uncertain future.
Where to Watch The Humans
- Garrett WilkinsJune 7, 2026Most movies feel carefully engineered to maximize entertainment value. This is not one of those movies. There were multiple points while watching The Humans where I found myself thinking that this was a story that easily could have been staged as a play, and the film never seems particularly interested in disguising that fact. Rather than chasing dramatic highs or constantly demanding the audience's attention, it quietly observes a family gathering with a level of patience that many modern films would never dare attempt. It is precisely that willingness to prioritize observation over entertainment that makes the film feel perfectly at home within the A24 catalog. The result is something that often feels less like a movie and more like two hours spent sitting quietly in the corner of a real family gathering. What makes the film work is how believable everyone is. Nobody is entirely innocent, but nobody is entirely guilty either. The family dynamics feel authentic, and the performances across the board help sell that realism. Steven Yeun and Beanie Feldstein are particularly convincing together. In most movies, they probably are not the first two people you would imagine being paired romantically, which oddly makes them feel even more believable as a couple. They come across less like movie characters and more like two actual people trying to navigate life together. What I found most admirable, however, is how comfortable the film is being exactly what it wants to be. Even its R rating feels like evidence of that. Nothing about The Humans seems designed to maximize its audience or make itself easier to consume. That commitment places a natural ceiling on how engaging the film can be, but it also gives it a confidence and authenticity that many more ambitious films lack. I respected The Humans at least as much as I enjoyed it, and I suspect that is exactly the reaction it was aiming for.
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The Humans was released on November 24, 2021.
The Humans was directed by Stephen Karam.
The Humans has a runtime of 1h 46m.
The Humans was produced by Stephen Karam.
As a family celebrates Thanksgiving, the loving, tight-knit group tries to hold together in the face of an uncertain future.
The key characters in The Humans are Erik (Richard Jenkins), Deirdre (Jayne Houdyshell), Aimee (Amy Schumer).
The Humans is rated R.
The Humans is a Drama film.
The Humans has an audience rating of 4.5 out of 10.
The Humans has made $47,029 at the box office.