Movie Review: ‘Being Heumann’

by | Nov 5, 2026 | Movie Reviews, Movies | 0 comments


Greetings again from the darkness. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act guaranteed certain rights for those with disabilities. It fell under the purview of the Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) department, later renamed Health and Human Services. In 1977, HEW was led by Joseph Califano, and his initial refusal to sign off inspired a group headed by activist Judy Heumann (polio put her in a wheelchair) to begin what’s now known as the ‘504 sit-in’. The film comes from writer-director Sian Heder (Oscar winner for CODA, 2021) and co-writer Rebekah Taussig, and is based on “Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist” (2020), written by Judith Heumann and Kristen Joiner.

Heder takes the right approach here. Rather than a biopic on Ms. Heumann’s life as an activist, the focus is on this specific issue and the events surrounding it. Those events include some courageous folks, almost all with some disability, saying five years of waiting for equal access is enough. They weren’t demanding anything new … only the implementation of what Congress had already passed. Ruth Madeley delivers a fierce performance as Judy. Mark Ruffalo plays Joseph Califano, while Dylan O’Brien is TV reporter Evan White, and Robe Delaney plays Congressman Miller. Judy wants Califano’s signature so the ramps, etc. can be built, while Califano knows the implementation will cost billions of dollars (and likely cost him his job).

What we witness is a community of folks mutually dependent on each other. Disagreements occur, and Judy is more laser-focused than most, but all of the courageous participants are committed to the cause. Even the Black Panthers offer assistance. The activists face numerous obstacles including lack of food and police harassment. Most of the film takes place during the sit-in, which at 28 days, remains the longest non-violent sit-in on record at a federal building. The visuals are eye-opening: Judy in her wheelchair negotiating rush hour traffic and the ever-present and imposing stairs. Judy’s phrase is “Those stairs are a problem.” (only her delivery is more colorful)

Showing both sides of this (government vs protesters), makes it easy for us to follow and respect the dedication to the cause. Judy can be a bit prickly as the flawed leader, but she’s also smart and determined. Her right-hand assistant activist is Kitty Cone (played well by Madeline Delp), and most of the protesters are performers dealing with real world disabilities. This was an era without social media, so the TV cameras were crucial to securing the support of the public and applying even more pressure to Califano. The film ends by letting us know that it was another 13 years before the full Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed in 1990, and the clip shown is pretty memorable.

Begins streaming on AppleTV on November 6, 2026

David Ferguson
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