The opening scene of “Being Heumann” follows the eponymous character as she navigates her wheelchair around New York City streets. The year is 1972, and the world as we know it today wasn’t the world back then, leaving the physically disabled with no options when it came to sidewalk accessibility, keeping Judith Heumann in competition with vehicle traffic as she attempts to arrive at her destination without getting run over. It’s an eye-opening understanding of challenges and determination, with co-writer/director Sian Heder (who broke through with her last endeavor, 2021’s “CODA”) capturing a moment without much dialogue, relying on visual communication to understand the struggle. It’s the best part of “Being Heumann,” which is as well-intentioned as a movie can get, but doesn’t return to the same level of cinematic language, preferring to use speeches and showy performances instead. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com
Leave a Reply