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A woman in a wheelchair, a dwarf, and a blind black man walk into a bar in Being Heumann, an enjoyable and well executed—if overly straightforward—depiction of the longest nonviolent political takeover of a federal building in U.S. history.
Ruth Madely plays disability rights activist Judith Heumann, upon whose memoir this movie is based. Judith is a relentless advocate and a bit of an asshole, but she is determined to get the government to finalize a law (a predecessor to the Americans with Disabilities Act) that was passed years earlier in 1973. Madely gives a fierce, dedicated performance that serves as the focal point for a terrific ensemble ranging from A-listers such as Mark Ruffalo to many more lesser known actors, most with real disabilities (Ruffalo’s disability is that he turns green with anger).
Right wing attempts to discredit DEI have largely fixated on the Diversity portion (conveniently, because it’s easy to tap into racial biases) while completely ignoring the Inclusion and Equity parts of the acronym. As is said in the movie, anyone can join the disabled minority at any moment—should society not include them? Should they not be treated fairly? Being Heumann is about those fundamental questions.
Writer/director Sian Heder expertly portrays the story at hand, which covers about a month of time. Equally informative and entertaining, she leans into the factual narrative while letting her cast elevate the many little moments with humor and sincerity that wouldn’t work with an abled cast.
I loved Heder’s Oscar-nominated CODA; it too embraced the disabilities of its cast with both sincerity and comedy. While Being Heumann is a well made and easy watch, it lacks the same emotional core; after all, CODA was a fictional story about family bonds, whereas Heumann is a story about activism (pesky activists are rarely as relatable). Nonetheless, it feels more like a useful insight into the disabilities movement than a must-see powerhouse of a film.
Its straightforward nature is both appreciated and limiting; Heder tells the story she wants to tell, even if it’s not as emotionally moving as her previous effort.
Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.