THE HUMANS Trailer | TIFF 2021

An adaptation of his own Tony-winning play, Stephen Karam’s directorial debut is a Thanksgiving dinner invitation you won’t want to turn down. Featuring poignant, funny, lived-in performances from an impeccable ensemble — Amy Schumer, Beanie Feldstein (TIFF ’19’s How to Build a Girl), Jayne Houdyshell (Greta Gerwig’s Little Women), and Oscar nominees Richard Jenkins, Steven Yeun, and June Squibb — The Humans tracks the emotional intricacies of a working-class family bound by tradition, contention, and unshakable loyalties.

Brigid Blake (Feldstein) and her boyfriend Richard (Yeun) have just moved into a rundown duplex in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Before they’ve had a chance to settle in, Brigid’s parents Erik (Jenkins) and Deirdre (Houdyshell), along with Erik’s Alzheimer’s-afflicted mother (Squibb), arrive from her hometown to celebrate Thanksgiving, as does Brigid’s big sister Aimee (Schumer), who lives in Philadelphia. As the evening proceeds, the almost pathologically polite Richard tries to busy himself with meal preparation while the Blakes ease into their habitual teasing. Long-standing grievances are resurrected and difficult announcements are made.

Karam and his collaborators have crafted that rarest of things: a stage-to-screen adaptation at once anchored in the intimate group dynamics of theatre and infused with the inventiveness and attention to detail that is fundamentally cinematic. This is a story about the meaning of togetherness in divisive times: the Blake family disagrees on everything from religion to politics to the value of work, but each understands that their differences make them stronger, and their joys and sorrows are more meaningful for being shared.

[richeeduvie]

Loved the play, can’t wait to see how it will translate onto film, along with becoming its own thing, especially with the playwright as the director

[Verociity]

I'm trying to understand the appeal of this movie, it just seems like an average conversation at a family get together

[mnphotographer]

Yes, not always everything has to be blown up in a good movie.

[taseronify]

I tag a movie as boring if I catch myself thinking about something else while watching it's trailer. This could be an appealing movie for someone living in the Arctic with no human contact.

[pacertsmith]

Hmmm..nope I don't think so. Reminds me of an Adele song

[Swaggaccino]

People watch movies to escape reality not be reminded of it. What's the point of this movie? Remind everyone how depressing RL is? Unless Negan breaks in with Lucille and goes to town on Glenn, I really don't care lmao.

[KL-swxi]

A disappointingly slow-moving, fly-on-the-wall play that is also boring. Nothing funny or haunting. They move around the apartment, with boring conversations and imagined thoughts. The fictional family and their "drama" is about as interesting as watching paint dry. Don't waste your time