Humane imagines a near future in which governments seek population reduction through a programme of voluntary deaths. A wealthy family's dinner becomes a terrible negotiation when the planned participation does not proceed as expected. Caitlin Cronenberg has a provocative starting point for her feature debut.
The idea raises uncomfortable ethical questions about sacrifice, privilege and the value assigned to lives. The family conflict should make those questions personal. Too often, however, the characters remain one-dimensional and their decisions predictable.
Enrico Colantoni stands out as the official overseeing the process. His unsettling indifference and touches of black humour give the situation an extra dimension. Jay Baruchel and Emily Hampshire also bring intensity and ambiguity to their parts.
Confining most of the action to the family home strengthens the claustrophobia and the moral pressure. The direction can nevertheless become static. Precise framing does not always produce the visual variation needed to sustain the premise's force.
I wanted the tensions between siblings and the emotional consequences of the decisions to be explored further. The film illustrates how much an inventive concept depends on the people and writing used to realise it.
For viewers interested in dystopia and moral dilemmas, Humane supplies ideas worth considering. Its ambition is stronger than its execution, though. A disturbing setup alone cannot provide the narrative and character depth that would make the family conflict more powerful.