Could be the movie that had the greatest impact on me of all time, no doubt more than likely because I was going through the identical same struggle with fatherhood at the moment I saw it. It was shortly after release on satellite in summer of 1995 (we had an early 10-foot dish) and I saw it with my "new" family at our home in an old mining town in Arizona. I had just gotten home from work and in stone cold sobriety managed to see myself in turn so exquisitely entrapped in the same quandaries as "Hector" that specifically at the moment of the simple act of his being given a pair of boots during the African shipwreck vignette, I had to run outside into the cool starry night. The top of my head seemed to explode and my "self" spontaneously shifted levels and merged with the consciousness of the universe. I unaccountably became a bodhisattva for some months (i. e. you could say I flipped my lid.) My co-workers were terrified of me when I returned to work, but my family and most everyone else I knew marveled at the change and soon grew to approve of it. For a while I was like John Travolta's character in "Phenomenon." This kind of effect from watching a movie isn't unheard of in history. In fact it occurred to me on another occasion upon reading a tiny little book by an author with the pseudonym "Alcyone." That a movie or book can have that type of effect on another human being implies that it's nothing short of marvelous, some kind of mystic key. I don't want to be a spoiler so I'll say nothing more than that. I saw it only that one time, and it worked magic on me that I still can't comprehend. What a director...

Only reason it didn't get a 9 is that I have a hard time with Robin Williams playing serious roles (sorry). "Isomnia" was one of his better serious roles. But he is very sympathetic in this movie. And the movie itself is very near perfect. A great story. I came to IMDb to check on this title as I couldn't find it on Netflix. Shame on Netflix! Only reason it didn't get a 9 is that I have a hard time with Robin Williams playing serious roles (sorry). "Isomnia" was one of his better serious roles. But he is very sympathetic in this movie. And the movie itself is very near perfect. A great story. I came to IMDb to check on this title as I couldn't find it on Netflix. Shame on Netflix!

BEING HUMAN starts with two off screen characters in conversation with each other which does give the movie an unwanted light hearted tone . We`re then introduced to Hector ( Robin Williams ) who is looking after his two children in a period of history that feels like the dark ages . Then a ship sails into view which heralds danger . It was at this point that I thought the story was going to revolve around Hector and his children so it`s a shock to the system when later on in the movie the action switches to a shipwreck in the 16th century which again features Williams character . I could forgive this because the shipwreck story is so compelling with dozens of people facing certain death because all their supplies are running out and they`re a very long way from any type of civilisation . My heart was in my mouth wondering how these poor people were going to survive . We will never know how because the action then cuts to modern day America with Hector going through a divorce So there you go three stories linked by someone played by Robin Williams that have no real connection with one another and I felt totally disgusted by the middle story featuring the shipwreck that comes to a complete halt without any type of resolution . Talk about feeling cheated . I should also point out that if the subtext of this movie is supposed to reflect what it`s like to be human then surely the characters and situations on screen don`t accurately reflect this . In fact there`s something arrogant about the whole idea behind this movie because every single feature film from the classics like THE GODFATHER , THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and SCHINDLER`S LIST all the way through to straight to video fare like CROCODILE 2: DEATH SWAMP all deal with aspects of human nature . If you want to know what it`s like to be human watch any film not just this one . I doubt if I`ll be watching it again The only interest to be had by watching BEING HUMAN is spotting Ewan McGregor and Robert Carlysle before they became famous and several British actors before they got a role in THE BILL

This is one of those comfortable Sunday-afternoon-while-it's-raining films. It is one of Robin Williams more serious characters.A little moody in places, the film offers reflections on what it might have been like to live at other times, as a sort of social history (no being a king or queen or royalty). The main character plays his life issues out through time, from ancient Rome, a Viking raid, a 16th or 17th century continental vagrant, to the present. Love, life's tragedies, children, and home are all themes. There is a light-heartiness to the film, and it plays on the contemporary character's life as it unfolds. Robin Williams turns in a typically great performance.The themes and emotions all play in their times. Settings are as varied as the emotions. Sweet and sentimental, the movie captures and makes a statement about the human condition.