Review: The Human Stain (***)

THE HUMAN STAIN
A film review by Steve Rhodes

Copyright 2003 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****): ***


Robert Benton's THE HUMAN STAIN, based on the Philip Roth novel, is a
complex story about Coleman Silk (Anthony Hopkins), a renowned classics
professor at a New England college. Near retirement age, he is fired for
what is falsely misconstrued as a racist remark, calling some students who
have never shown up for his class, "spooks." When they turn out to be black
and complain, he is summarily shown the door. This bit of political
correctness run amok literally kills his wife, who promptly has a heart
attack upon hearing her husband was forced out for such a flimsy reason.



The story takes place mainly after this incident, as the bored and retired
Coleman strikes up a friendship with a local writer, Nathan Zuckerman (Gary
Sinise). The scene with Hopkins and Sinise dancing together to the big band
sounds of "Dancing Cheek to Cheek" is one that won't soon be forgotten.



Thanks to the miracles of Viagra, which gets a great product plug, Coleman
starts seeing Faunia Farely (Nicole Kidman), a crazy woman who likes sex and
hates conversation. Although she grew up wealthy, she now lives a menial,
working class life with three jobs (postal employee, farm laborer and
nighttime janitor) with no money to show for her hard work. Nervous and
smoking incessantly, she has guilt written all over her face and a big
secret to hide. In one of his weakest performances, the normally sublime Ed
Harris plays Lester, Faunia's equally crazy and downright dangerous
ex-husband.



When Faunia first asks Coleman to come to her room, he says no, then changes
his mind. Imagine saying no to the possibilities of sex with Kidman. I
know. It's hard to fathom. In her most memorable line, a dancing Faunia
tells Coleman, "I will do whatever you ask of me, as often as you want."
She goes on to say perceptively, "How many times have you heard a woman say
that and mean it?" No kidding.



The best part of the movie happens in flashback when we meet the young
Coleman Silk (Wentworth Miller), a man about to choose a college. This
younger Coleman is the movie's only completely satisfying and fully fleshed
out character. Miller, who really gave the part his all, was at our
screening. He said that, as research for his role, he rented as many of
Hopkins's old movies as he could find so that he could pick up little bits
of Hopkins here and there to use in his performance. There are some
problems with the movie but none with Miller's work, which is superb. The
biggest problem with the picture is that too many critics have decided to
reveal the story's mysteries. But even if someone tells you or you figure
them out, the movie is still a rewarding one.



THE HUMAN STAIN runs 1:46. The film is rated R for "language and
sexuality/nudity" and would be acceptable for teenagers.



The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, October 31, 2003.
In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century
theaters and the Camera Cinemas.



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