THE STORY – New York City is a city of dreams, and one thing that everyone seems to be dreaming of in this hilarious debut comedic kaleidoscope is a connection. Intertwining forty different vignettes featuring the mélange of residents that call New York City home, this film shows the many trials and tribulations that people encounter while searching for ways to connect.
THE CAST – Elise Kibler, Joey Dardano, Joanna Arnow, Sophie Zucker, Josephine Chiang & Asha Ward
THE TEAM – Jess Zeidman (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 71 Minutes
It’s taken a lot of restraint not to start this review with some mention of the fact that in the new film “Human Theories,” New York City practically feels like a character. This uber-cliche has become something of a joke amongst film lovers, serving as an easy way to mock the trademark self-obsession that’s so specifically New York (no shade intended, I love the Big Apple…sorry for calling it the Big Apple). But in this day and age of films shot entirely indoors with blue screens, green screens, or even, God forbid, the dreaded gray screen favored for AI-heavy productions, a film like “Human Theories” that was unmistakably filmed in New York makes the sentiment that “New York City itself is a character” feel charming again.
When films are set in the most populous city in America, it’s usually guaranteed that their characters will be seen galavanting through some of the postcard-ready locations anyone in the world would recognize. Not so with “Human Theories.” Nobody in this film meets a lover on the observation deck of the Empire State Building, has a revelatory moment in Times Square, or takes a contemplative stroll through Central Park. The many, many characters that make up this anthology film, in true New York fashion, aren’t seen in such touristy spots. This film is more concerned with the stoops, sidewalk markets, and cramped apartments that actual residents are much more likely to frequent.
Similar to the city it captures, “Human Theories” is crowded with characters. The anthology film comprises 40 bite-sized vignettes spread across its 70-minute runtime. That averages out to just under two minutes per scene (even that term feels generous, they’re more like scenettes). Often, a character will pass from one story to the next, making the film feel like a relay race. This uber-brevity is both a blessing and a curse: by the sheer law of averages, not all of the microchapters are as engaging as the others, with some as simple in concept as watching street musicians perform. But because they’re so short, the segments don’t linger long enough to detract much from the film’s overall experience. On the other hand, because we fly through these stories so quickly, like an express train cutting through the script, it’s hard to feel firmly grounded in the film’s world. But such is life in the big city, you can never be in one place for too long without starting to feel restless.
There are certainly standout vignettes amongst the many, many dollar slices of life that make up “Human Theories.” Two of the best ones both involve awkward encounters in the bedroom. In one, a man shows a lack of skill in dirty talk. And in another, a woman is distressed to find that her no-nonsense date has paused their intimate encounter in order to cook a full meal. There’s also an unexpectedly hilarious “Tuck Everlasting” joke in one segment that I wasn’t expecting to hear in 2026. Many of the segments revolve around misreads and misunderstandings, often leading characters to cover up their confusion to avoid embarrassment. In that way, much of “Human Theories” feels like a classic comedy of manners, showing that, despite being an extremely contemporary film, people’s social behavior hasn’t changed much across centuries (perhaps this is the type of anthropological theory to which the title refers).
Director-writer Jess Zeidman handsomely captures the city she so clearly loves, emphasizing the warm sunlight that can make a day in New York feel truly life-affirming, no matter the season or temperature. And just because this is a dialogue-focused indie film doesn’t mean Zeidman can’t find opportunities to flex her filmmaking muscles. In one scene set at a dim sum restaurant, the camera is affixed to a lazy Susan at the center of the table, spinning to focus on which character is speaking in a way that truly feels like being caught in the middle of a conversation between a close friend group to which you don’t belong.
Not all of the chapters in “Human Theories” cover topics that feel distinctly New York. In fact, the narratives often feel like they could have been set in any major American city. But what makes the film feel like a true capture of New York is its energy. It zips along, barely giving you time to get your bearings, with people’s stories floating past like hearing snippets of strangers’ conversations on the subway. In a city where the population is quite literally piled on top of each other, “Human Theories” shows what happens when people are squished into a finite space and forced to interact daily with people they don’t know.
“Human Theories” is fascinated by how New Yorkers’ lives and stories overlap, merging different experiences and the possibility of leaving an indelible mark on one another, no matter how brief the interaction. It almost feels like a New Yorker cartoon brought to life: small, short, and undeniably clever.
