We're Only Human: A Gritty Crime Tale That Doesn't Quite Get There

Is it worth your time?

If you like old-school police procedurals where everyone wears a hat and talks out the side of their mouth, sure. It is a breezy, low-stakes watch. But if you want a tight thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, you might find yourself checking your phone by the second act.

Preston Foster plays the detective who is just too stubborn for his own good. He is chasing a gangster who isn't even that interesting. It reminded me a bit of the pacing issues in Tumultes, where things just sort of happen because the script says so.

Small moments that caught my eye

• Jane Wyatt is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. She is the only one who seems to know what movie she is in.
• There is a scene in a diner where the background extras are just standing there, frozen like mannequins. It is hilariously distracting.
• The lighting in the police station is weirdly bright. Nobody looks like they are working on a gritty case; they look like they are waiting for a bus.

The chemistry between Foster and Wyatt is… fine? It is serviceable. Sometimes they have this back-and-forth that feels like they are reading off a grocery list. Seriously, one moment they are almost kissing and the next they are talking about paperwork.

I kept waiting for a moment of real danger, but the stakes felt like they were printed on paper. It lacks the punch of something like The Stolen Jools, where even the cameos feel like they have a bit of life in them. Here, everyone is just hitting their marks.

The ending happens so fast you might blink and miss it. It just stops. No big speech, no lingering camera shot, just a quick wrap-up. Honestly? I kind of respected that lack of pomp. It is not a great film, but it is not trying to be anything more than a quick story about a cop who needs to relax.

Also, Ward Bond shows up. He is always a good time, even when he has absolutely nothing to do but stand in a hallway and look suspicious. Why is he even there? I don't know. Does it matter? Probably not. 🕵️‍♂️