The Humans
A Thanksgiving reunion in a deteriorating Manhattan duplex becomes an unnerving pressure cooker of family love, resentment, and existential dread.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- claustrophobic
- eerie
- thanksgiving viewing
- quiet evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's intimate ensemble acting, atmospheric direction, and psychologically incisive adaptation of the stage play.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Blake family remains inside a crumbling Manhattan duplex while emotional and uncanny pressures steadily mount.
Thanksgiving dinner structures the gathering, but the holiday ritual exposes resentment, anxiety, and unresolved family tensions.
The pre-war duplex, its darkness, and its unexplained disturbances create an oppressive visual counterpart to the family's distress.
The gathering brings together relatives negotiating financial strain, health concerns, adult disappointment, and dependence within a single household space.
Films like The Humans, and why
August: Osage County
claustrophobic family gathering, psychological drama, and escalating domestic tension
The Celebration
intimate ensemble family drama centered on painful secrets and strained relationships
Death at a Funeral
contained domestic setting, darkly comic family conflict, and emotionally raw ensemble performances
Movie Details
- Director
- Stephen Karam
- Release Date
- 2021-11-24
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (231)
Cast
- Richard Jenkins
- Jayne Houdyshell
- Amy Schumer
- Beanie Feldstein
- Steven Yeun
- June Squibb
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Humans about?
- A Thanksgiving reunion in a deteriorating Manhattan duplex becomes an unnerving pressure cooker of family love, resentment, and existential dread.
- What is The Humans like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Humans as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Humans violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Humans.
- What did critics think of The Humans?
- Critics broadly praised the film's intimate ensemble acting, atmospheric direction, and psychologically incisive adaptation of the stage play.
- Which films are like The Humans?
- Films with a similar feel include August: Osage County, The Celebration, and Death at a Funeral.
- How long is The Humans?
- The Humans runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Humans?
- In United States, The Humans is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
