In the near future an environmental collapse leads to crippling food shortages and health crises. The world is forced into the difficult decision of forcing governments to facilitate the reduction of the population by 20% via new euthanasia schemes that financially reward the families of those that volunteer. Cue the patriarch of the York family, Charles (Peter Gallagher) inviting his family to a very important family dinner. 

Peter is a retired Journalist and Television News Anchor that is respected across the country. His wife Dawn (Uni Park) is a celebrity chef with global renown. His children however appear to have fallen far from the tree. Eldest son Jared (Jay Baruchel) is a controversial anthropologist whose views get him the accolade of being invited on TV talk shows often, eldest daughter Rachel (Emily Hampshire) is a pharmaceutical CEO currently in a court case about the wrongful pain and death of those who took her company’s drugs, youngest son Noah (Sebastian Chacon) is a recovering addict who killed someone in an accident when under the influence and youngest daughter Ashley (Alanna Bale) is a failed actress. 

I will leave the subject and subsequent twists of the family dinner for you to discover but suffice it to say that there are questions around family and personal legacy, the nature of a humane act and the disparity between the rich and the poor.

At times the message does feel a little mixed up. Is this about class divides and the benefits that rich people have over poor people? Is this about the salt of the earth hard workers versus those that sit in ivory towers? Is everyone really only in it for themselves? Do people like to watch those above their station suffer? Ultimately it feels more interested in asking questions than it is about having answers or statements on them. 

At just ninety-three minutes long Humane still seems to stall from time to time before finding fresh impetus with its main shining lights being the performances of the aforementioned Peter Gallagher and Enrico Colantoni who plays a Government contracted euthanasia expert. 

Humane is the feature directorial debut of Caitlin Cronenberg, daughter of David (The Fly, Crash) and sister of Brandon (Possessor Uncut, Infinity Pool) so I suspect we will be seeing more of her work. Perhaps the most peculiar and haunting facets of the film are that it is a Cronenberg film without body horror and it speaks regularly about nepotism and failing to meet parental standards.

Humane is a mildly diverting social commentary thriller.