Human Affairs

Human Affairs is a poignant, thought-inspiring drama film directed by Charlie Birns, and captivatingly performed by Dominic Fumusa, Kerry Condon, and Julie Sokolowski. Released in 2018, the movie delves into the complexities and intricacies of surrogacy and relationships, exploring real-life experiences with a remarkable balance of depth and sensitivity.

The storyline orbits around a sophisticated New York couple, Lucinda (Kerry Condon) and Sidney (Dominic Fumusa). He's an artist, successful and admired in the New York scene, while she works as his muse and manager. Despite their outward success and togetherness, they struggle with an unseen obstacle to their happiness - infertility. In a conscious effort to fulfil their longing for a family, they opt for a surrogate solution to their childlessness, and there enters the picture a young woman from the rural parts of the Midwest, Genevieve (Julie Sokolowski).

The process brings the city-dwelling couple face to face with the surrogate in quaint Pennsylvania, where she resides. Before their hopes can transform into the reality of their parenthood, they must navigate the tricky emotional maze of connecting and controlling their feelings towards the unlikely young surrogate, while also maintaining their own relationship and busy city lives.

The film authentically grapples with the complexity of human emotions and the delicate bonds that form within such unconventional arrangements. The narrative is designed to open up a profound contemplation on family, love, fertility, and the unexpected consequences of the choices made when lives intersect.

Director Charlie Birns does a fantastic job of suffusing the movie with moments of surprising tenderness, thanks to the film's beautifully subdued cinematography and intimate screenplay. Birns uses subtle nuances to unveil the distinct contrast between the couple's sophisticated, refined New York environment and the surrogate's less privileged, ordinary life in the countryside, invoking a distinct look at differing realities.

Dominic Fumusa, as Sidney, navigates his character with detail-oriented performance, encapsulating audiences with his tactful portrayal of an aspirational artist facing emotional turmoil. Kerry Condon's depiction of Lucinda captures a multitude of dimensions - as a strong, fiercely independent woman, a supportive partner, and as a hopeful mother-to-be confronting her innate vulnerabilities. Finally, Julie Sokolowski balances the innocent charm and unfathomable depth of Genevieve with an impressive balance of simplicity and complexity.

Human Affairs is a beautiful study on the modern-day understanding of parenthood, relationships, class differences, and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with the hopeful process of surrogacy. Through its characters, it provides us with a glimpse into the multidimensional facets of human behaviour, ensuring it leaves viewers with a lasting impression, and sparks conversations about the unconventional paths to concretionalize the inherent human desire for parenthood.

This film beautifully navigates the tangled relationships, burdened expectations, and personal dilemmas amidst a subject that is, more often than not, shrugged aside by mainstream cinema. Birns’ talent for realism lends credibility to the film while providing audiences an opportunity to explore the collective human condition reflected in the metaphorical mirror of cinema.

With its untouched territories of emotions and distinct narrative angles, 'Human Affairs' is genuinely a standout movie. It's a significant contribution to cinema, targeting not only the couples who go or have been through this process but all individuals interested in a perception-altering narrative led by strong, complex characters.

In all, Human Affairs is a film that both educates and emotionally touches its viewers, addressing the repercussions of the choices we make in our pursuit of fulfillment and love. The film represents a contemplative exploration of contemporary life, viewed through the lens of surrogacy - a topic that is often relegated to the sidelines of discussion.