Sometimes you watch a movie which you assume is going to be absolutely terrible, but are completely caught off guard. "The Man from Earth" is that type of movie. Put your preconceptions on hold for this one, and enjoy the ride.
The movie is anchored by David Lee Smith's protrayal as a man who doesn't age. Smith's character, John Oldman, is a retiring professor who has a going away party with some of his university friends. The discussion eventually turns hypothetical about what a caveman would be like if they were alive today. Unbeknownst to his friends, John Oldman is in fact a caveman, and he is not that different from them.
This premise may seem absurd at first, but the actors manage to pull it off. You will recognize many of the B-movie actors that populate this film. People like Tony Todd, John Billingsley, and Ellen Crawford. The relationships between the actors seem genuine, and their surprise at the prospect that their friend is thousands of years old is believable and not hokey.
If you are able to put disbelief aside you will enjoy this movie. There is almost a Forrest Gump type story-line in this movie, because Oldman managed to be involved in some of history's most significant events. This movie really is great, and it tells a compelling story of humanity.
This is a solid 8/10, possibly a 9/10.
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