The Humans

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2:33

The Humans

R

Released Nov 24, 2021

1h 48m

Holiday

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

142 Reviews

44%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Erik Blake has gathered three generations of his Pennsylvania family to celebrate Thanksgiving at his daughter's apartment in lower Manhattan. As darkness falls outside and eerie things start to go bump in the night, the group's deepest fears are laid bare. The piercingly funny and haunting debut film from writer-director Stephen Karam, adapted from his Tony Award-winning play, The Humans explores the hidden dread of a family and the love that binds them together.

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Critics Consensus

The Humans takes its Tony-winning source material from stage to screen without sacrificing the essence of writer-director Stephen Karam's dysfunctional drama.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

This is more than just a nihilistic revamp of Home for the Holidays. It's bleaker than that, more forensic in its analysis of innate human hopelessness.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 2, 2022

Full Review

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

The casting is... first-rate, with Richard Jenkins and a wounded, garrulous Jayne Houdyshell the standouts.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 2, 2022

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

The ensemble remains electrifying against the damp.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 31, 2021

Full Review

Louis Skye (Ronita Roy Mohan)

Women Write About Comics

The story fell flat to me. The cinematography was all over the place when it didn’t need to be. It was an immersive experience at times, but there were too many gimmicks that took me out of the moment, which is the opposite of what a film is meant to do.

Aug 21, 2025

Full Review

Tamma Moksha

The Hindu

An adaptation of a play by the same name, Stephen Karam’s directorial debut is a family drama that warps into an anxiety attack of sorts and lingers on in our minds.

Jun 11, 2024

Full Review

George Kowalik

Vague Visages

The claustrophobia in The Humans transcends its confined narrative setting...

Oct 4, 2023

Full Review

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Richard S

A wonderful screen adaptation of the stage play. The play was still strange and good but the filming and staging added to the mystery and enhanced what I had seen and heard during live stage show.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/26/21

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Jim s

I kept waiting for something to happen but never did. I almost walked out

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/25/21

Full Review

Matheus B

The movie tries to portrait people, their flaws, qualities, and how family dynamics play a role in making them "real" doing a a decent job at that. It's just void of anything interesting and has nothing to offer that could add anything.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/05/25

Full Review

Drew H

This is prolly the worst movie I ever seen. Actually fuck that, it is the worst movie I have ever seen. This movie was actually so bad. Like im just trying to keep it a buck with you. You will waste your time and you will regret it right after. There is no fucking point of this retarted ass movie. Nothing happens the entire time. Lit nothing happens. Your welcome for saving your precoius time.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/19/24

Full Review

Cara G

The walls are closing in on a group of humans who are acting like a family but who have no empathy for or connection to each other. Erik has thrown away everything, and death is the only light at the end of his tunnel. A very well-written script, excellent actors, reflective cinematography. Sartre: Hell is other people.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/12/24

Full Review

noemí d

Well done and good acting, but too depressing.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/24/24

Full Review

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Stephen Karam

Director

Richard Jenkins

Erik Blake

Amy Schumer

Aimee

Steven Yeun

Richard

Jayne Houdyshell

Deirdre Blake

Beanie Feldstein

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The Humans: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Erik Blake has gathered three generations of his Pennsylvania family to celebrate Thanksgiving at his daughter's apartment in lower Manhattan. As darkness falls outside and eerie things start to go bump in the night, the group's deepest fears are laid bare. The piercingly funny and haunting debut film from writer-director Stephen Karam, adapted from his Tony Award-winning play, The Humans explores the hidden dread of a family and the love that binds them together.

Director: Stephen Karam
Producer: Stephen Karam, Louise Lovegrove
Screenwriter: Stephen Karam
Distributor: A24
Production Co: A24
Rating: R (Some Sexual Material|Language)
Genre: Holiday, Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 24, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 24, 2021
Runtime: 1h 48m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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