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Human Nature

Play trailer Poster for Human Nature R 2002 1h 36m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
48% Tomatometer 94 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A philosophical burlesque, "Human Nature" follows the ups and downs of an obsessive scientist, a female naturalist, and the man they discover, born and raised in the wild. As scientist Nathan (Tim Robbins) trains the wild man (Rhys Ifans) in the ways of the world - starting with table manners - Nathan's lover Lila (Patricia Arquette) fights to preserve the man's simian past, which represents a freedom enviable to most.
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Human Nature

Human Nature

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Critics Consensus

As quirky as Being John Malkovich but not as funny, Human Nature feels too forced and unengaging.

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Critics Reviews

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Michael Wilmington Chicago Tribune 07/20/2002
2/4
Tries for both civilized wit and primitive joy -- and mostly misses both. Go to Full Review Geoff Pevere Toronto Star 04/26/2002
4/5
The simplicity with which it depicts these [animal] forces eternally at war with each other is sometimes sublimely evocative. Go to Full Review Liam Lacey Globe and Mail 04/26/2002
2.5/4
For all its highfalutin title and corkscrew narrative, the movie turns out to be not much more than a shaggy human tale. Go to Full Review Brian Orndorf Blu-ray.com 07/11/2021
C
Gondry works ridiculously hard to transform his helming debut into a cinematic playground of tricks and fantasy, which doesn't always mesh with Kaufman's self-conscious probing of damaged people. Go to Full Review Kathi Maio The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction 02/27/2020
I appreciate the fact that Human Nature tackles more subject matter than it can coherently explore in one movie. Ambition is good. Go to Full Review Jeffrey Chen Window to the Movies 09/08/2009
9/10
[Kaufman and Gondry] dive right into the subject [of sex] to lay bare the pain of it, and to have us laugh at it. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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thiago s @Thiagostone Aug 28 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Jul 27 COMPLETELY UNWATCHABLE. Wow, that anybody got anything out of this is mind-boggling. The story is silly. Ok, than is it funny?= NO{, I didn't even smirk through out. I have no idea what any of these reviewers watched b/c this makes a B movie like an Oscar contender. I like Kaufman, not enough to give him a pass on this drek. Won't be keeping for sure, and wasted my time watching it. No offense to Robbins or Arquette- I love them both, but this movie sucked ass. See more Munkhchimeg T 08/11/2024 Good artistic movie. Giving many deep senses. Very good See more Bahad j 08/11/2024 I really liked the characters and actions of the actors See more Lucy M 03/30/2024 Judging by the horribly unfair and simply shallow "critic" reviews for this movie, some people need to rethink their expectations of cinema as an art form. Human Nature is utterly fantastic. I've watched it last many years ago, but it has left a permanent and welcome mark on the way I see the world. It might not be as flashy as something like "Poor Things", but I feel a lot of the same themes are present, and actually better developed in "Human Nature" than the recent Oscar winner. It's a definite worth-while watch, and it's as good (possibly better) as any other Charlie Kaufmann work. See more 01/29/2022 It's quirky, wrestles with interesting ideas, but for some reason isn't quite as engaging as it needs to be. It's like it can't figure the right balance of tones; whether it wants to slapstick humour, or a biting satire, it can't seem to figure out its direction. But points to Gondry (as usual) for his stylized and imaginative direction. See more Read all reviews
Human Nature

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Cast & Crew

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Michel Gondry

Director

Tim Robbins

Nathan Bronfman

Patricia Arquette

Lila Jute

Rhys Ifans

Puff

Miranda Otto

Gabrielle

Robert Forster

Nathan's Father

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Human Nature

(l to r): Rhys Ifans stars as Puff and Miranda Otto stars as Gabrielle in the Michel Gondry film HUMAN NATURE. Director Michel Gondry and Rhys Ifans on the set of HUMAN NATURE. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A philosophical burlesque, "Human Nature" follows the ups and downs of an obsessive scientist, a female naturalist, and the man they discover, born and raised in the wild. As scientist Nathan (Tim Robbins) trains the wild man (Rhys Ifans) in the ways of the world - starting with table manners - Nathan's lover Lila (Patricia Arquette) fights to preserve the man's simian past, which represents a freedom enviable to most.
Director
Michel Gondry
Producer
Anthony Bregman, Ted Hope, Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman
Screenwriter
Charlie Kaufman
Distributor
Fine Line Features
Production Co
Beverly Detroit, Partizan, Studio Canal, Good Machine
Rating
R (Nudity|Language|Sexuality)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 12, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 1, 2007
Box Office (Gross USA)
$695.9K
Runtime
1h 36m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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