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Human Capital
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Uneven but engaging drama has language, sex, drinking.
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Human Capital
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What's the Story?
In HUMAN CAPITAL, a bicyclist is struck and fatally wounded on a dark road by a hit-and-run driver. The events leading up to that night are then told from three different points of view. Struggling real estate agent Drew (Liev Schreiber) learns that his second wife (Betty Gabriel) is pregnant. He drops off his teen daughter, Shannon (Maya Hawke), at the sprawling mansion where her boyfriend, Jamie (Fred Hechinger), lives. There, Drew meets Jamie's father, successful venture capitalist Quint Manning (Peter Sarsgaard). Drew asks Quint whether he can invest in an upcoming opportunity, but in order to raise the necessary $300,000, he borrows and lies. Meanwhile, Quint's wife, Carrie (Marisa Tomei), has fallen in love with an old theater and wants to fix it up, but she learns that their family's finances are in serious trouble. Finally, Shannon and Jamie secretly break up, and she falls for the damaged, withdrawn Ian (Alex Wolff).
Is It Any Good?
Based on a 2004 novel by Stephen Amidon, this multi-thread drama is intricately designed and boldly acted, though its form may be a little outsized compared to its actual content. Adapted by Oscar nominee Oren Moverman (The Messenger) and directed by Marc Meyers, Human Capital (which is also a remake of a 2013 Italian movie) adopts a serious tone, rather than building any kind of suspenseful whodunit from the bicyclist's death. But since it has other interesting stories to tell, this approach works fairly well.
The parts about Drew's financial woes and Shannon's blooming romance have strong emotional beats, but the segment focusing on Carrie's attempts to do something great with the old theater seem stretched too thin, a complicated means to a not-very-interesting end. And, ultimately, the theme of "human capital" -- the satirical question of what human beings in this story are actually worth -- doesn't offer much sting. Instead, it feels more like a grim resignation. But the strong, memorable parts of Human Capital outweigh those that don't work well, and it's worth seeing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way Human Capital depicts sex. What values are imparted?
How are teen drinking and drug use depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
How did the movie's violence affect you? How much is shown? How strong was it?
What does the phrase "human capital" mean, and what does the movie seem to be saying about it?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: March 20, 2020
- Cast: Liev Schreiber , Marisa Tomei , Maya Hawke
- Director: Marc Meyers
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Vertical Entertainment
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 95 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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