'The Humans': 3 reasons why Showtime's unusual Christmas film is a must-watch

The 2021 drama The Humans, adapted from Stephen Karam's one-act play by the same name, is a piercingly haunting and funny tale of a family reunion.

The story follows Erik Blake, who has gathered three generations of his family to celebrate Thanksgiving at his younger 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.

Here are three reasons not to miss the one-act play adaptation The Humans, releasing on November 24, 2021.

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3 reasons to watch 'The Humans'

1) 'The Humans' is adapted from a Tony-winning play

The Humans is adapted from Stephen Karam's one-act play by the same name. Karam is also making his directorial debut by adapting his Tony-winning play into a movie.

The Humans opened on Broadway in 2016 after an engagement Off-Broadway in 2015. It was a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and won the 2016 Tony Award for the category of Best Play.

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2) The movie is set in an apartment that reflects the existentialism of the storyline

In the play, the apartment set-up felt claustrophobic and was filled with ominous noises that added to the existential dread underlying in the story. But the apartment becomes a full-fledged character in the movie, as Karam uses the camera to zoom in on its flaws that trap viewers in the dark nooks and crannies of the underfurnished apartment.

Underscoring our fear of the unfamiliar and of losing our sense of home and family - the very thing the movie intends to explore.

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3) The sense of familiarity that the characters bring

The story is a very realistic tale of a family reunion. Karam has rounded off his characters very well by exploring the foibles and vulnerabilities that seem so central to our humanity. He writes with deep empathy for and understanding of all his characters.

Each member of the working class Blake family is suffering their own personal demons, which creates a tense environment. Aimee is a corporate lawyer coping with a recent breakup; her sister Brigid is an aspiring musician, and her boyfriend Richard is a social work student waiting on his trust fund.

But it is Erik, the father, who seems to be the catalyst for most of the bickering and who also seems to be hiding the most behind his increasingly tense façade. Rounding out the group is grandmother Momo, who has succumbed to Alzheimer's.

Naturally, their differences and nuances give rise to some friction between the group, which also makes the movie very relatable for many of us.

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There’s nothing like watching existential dread seep into a family gathering, and The Humans is brimming with it. Don't miss the movie coming to theaters on November 24.