Critic Reviews

• Desson Thomson, Washington Post

  Writer-directors Dominic Harari and Teresa Pelegri have penned an amusing script and, as directors, inject a delicate human texture into the story's intermixing of capricious zaniness, frank sensuality and Mideast politics.

• Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

  A smart and dark comedy from Spain, Only Human manages to say cogent things about the nature of intolerance and love while being fitfully hilarious.

• Ted Fry, Seattle Times

  There's a political and social clash at its core, but the laughter comes from a deeper, human place (see title).

• Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle

  A familiar situation of a beloved daughter bringing her intended home to meet the folks is pushed to sublimely silly extremes.

• Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

  A Spanish comedy that isn't quite as frenzied or farcical as its husband-and-wife writer-director team clearly intended it to be.

• Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

  It lets frantic get so far ahead of funny, the latter gets lost in the dust.

• Christopher Campbell, Cinematical

  More than just a spotlight on wacky family members and screwball situations ... a simple statement about some absurd perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

• Kam Williams, Upstage Magazine

  A rare, optimistic ray of hope about the prospects of Jewish-Muslim relations.

• James Plath, Movie Metropolis

  This culture-clash, dysfunctional family comedy has a smart script, energetic performances, and more tongue in cheek than a cow eating steroids.

• David Cornelius, DVDTalk.com

  The laughs more than make up for the familiarity.

• Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

  ... well-intentioned and charming, a deliberately downsized film that despite its high concept finds humor in the domestic more often than the political.

• Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

  A fresh and funny Spanish take on the classic family screwball comedy.

• Laura Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

  Only Human (Seres Queridos), generally speaking, doesn't work.

• Jordan Hiller, Bangitout.com

  While the comedy is at times sharp but mainly chaotic in that frenzied European style, it seems the filmmakers actually intended to make a statement about Jews, Arabs, and the possibility that love can out maneuver politics and overcome unimaginable histo

• Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

  The only lesson it has to impart is that a gifted, charismatic cast can elevate the most tired material into something closer to mediocrity.

• Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press

  The secret to Only Human's appeal is that the silliness is performed matter of factly, so it becomes a new, cracked definition of normal.

• Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

  The irreverent comedy of family feuds, impulsive leaps of (il)logic, and temporary amnesia is more screwball eccentricity than social satire.

• Shawn Levy, Oregonian

  Offers passing amusements, for sure, but the gap between its brilliant potential and its final execution is frustrating.

• Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion

  Amiable, and occasionally even insightful, but also sometimes just silly and at others a trifle tasteless...a mixed bag that, unhappily, doesn't deliver quite enough.

Read all 19 critic reviews