Being Heumann tells the true story of the late Judith Heumann, who led the fight for disability rights in America, helping to bring about positive change through disability rights legislation. The film follows her as she leads a historic 26-day sit-in protest alongside a group of activists.
Being Heumann marks Siân Heder‘s first film following her Best Picture win for CODA in 2022. Once again, Heder shines a light on underrepresented individuals, specifically those with disabilities. Her next project will be an adaptation of the best-selling Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, which also features an amputee male lead.
A Familiar Formula With Plenty Of Heart
Heder has spoken about the challenges of making a film featuring more than ten actors with disabilities and the additional planning and coordination this required. While this is an impressive feat, the end result unfortunately feels less impressive and somewhat formulaic. Making a protest film stand out among the many others we have seen is no easy task, and Heder does not quite achieve this. Nevertheless, whenever a filmmaker chooses to shine a light on stories like this, it is always welcome. The film is good, but I found myself wishing it could have offered something more.
The screenplay, co-written by Heder and Rebekah Taussig, is strong, with plenty of moments of levity and hilarity. One particularly amusing moment comes when the police officers realise that they cannot arrest and take in the activists because there are no accessible cells or, more broadly, accessible police stations. The irony of the situation speaks for itself. The screenplay also gives the characters a wonderfully human side, presenting them as people who are so much more than their disabilities. The diversity of disabilities represented on screen was beautiful to see.
The play on Judy’s surname, Heumann, which sounds like ‘human’, could be considered a little on the nose. However, I found it rather charming. At its heart, this is a deeply human story about a group of individuals who simply want to be seen and treated like anyone else.
Ruth Madeley Leads A Strong Ensemble
Ruth Madeley commands the screen, portraying Judy with both fierceness and vulnerability. The screenplay does a wonderful job of exploring how Judy initially struggles to navigate her role as a leader, balancing the responsibility of caring for her fellow activists and looking after their health with the need to remain firm in the protest and refuse to back down in the face of opposition. Watching Judy’s journey unfold as she navigates these conflicts and makes difficult decisions as a leader is deeply moving. There are no rule books for protesting for rights, and the lack of easy answers makes her journey all the more interesting to watch.
Mark Ruffalo is good as Joseph A. Califano Jr., but his character is also quite one-dimensional. Califano Jr. is the antagonist standing in the way of the activists fighting for disability rights. Ruffalo’s character presents an ironic contrast to the social activist public figure that we have come to associate with Ruffalo in real life.
There is so much heart to Being Heumann, and the film gives us plenty of time to spend with the rest of its ensemble, including Rob Delaney, Dylan O’Brien and Jon Beavers, alongside Daniel Durant, who also starred in CODA. This marks Durant’s second appearance in a Heder film. There is a strong sense of community and camaraderie among the characters, even extending to Evan White (O’Brien), the reporter who dedicates his time to documenting the protests so that the rest of the country can follow their fight. Aside from Madeley as Judith, O’Brien as Evan White delivers perhaps my favourite performance and my favourite character arc. His journey takes him from being dismissive of the disabled individuals in front of him to genuinely caring about, participating in and supporting their cause.
‘Being Heumann’ Review – Final Thoughts
Despite the strengths of its screenplay, Being Heumann ultimately falls into the familiar territory of the many biopics and protest films that have come before it. While its heart is firmly in the right place, the film struggles to distinguish itself from the crowd. It tells an important story, and one that deserves to be told, but I couldn’t help wishing that its execution had been as distinctive as the history it brings to the screen.
Being Heumann had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2026, before making its way to the BFI London Film Festival in October. It is due for theatrical release on November 6 before arriving on Apple TV on November 13.
