Human Stain Review
by Robin Clifford (robin AT reelingreviews DOT com)November 18th, 2003
"The Human Stain"
Coleman Silk (Anthony Hopkins) has led a long life of deception, re-inventing himself as a young man to something quite different from what he was. Now he is a respected dean at a prestigious New England college but, when he questions his class about a pair of no-show students, he makes the major mistake of calling the wayward undergrads "spooks." A casual remark, normally, but not when these particular students are African-American. His wife, Iris (Phyllis Newman), vows to help him fight the ridiculous charges when she suddenly dies. Coleman is alone, his career gone and life all but ruined. But a life, even a ruined one, leaves on this earth its "Human Stain."
Philip Roth's novel, adapted for the screen by Nicolas Meyer and directed by Robert Benton, is a story steeped in irony. Jewish Coleman is accused of bigotry and racism for slurring the color of two students. If everyone knew Silk's past they would realize how ridiculous the charges are and there would be nothing to this tempest in a teacup. The story flashes back to a much younger Coleman (Wentworth Miller) an intelligent young man who uses his boxing skills to get a scholarship to a top university. He has a pretty blonde girlfriend, Steena (Jacinda Barrett), and an assured, successful future. Then, he goes home.
Here we learn that the "white as snow" Coleman is from a black family and his stern father declares that his son will attend the nearby Negro college. Mr. Silk (Harry Lennix), a dignified train porter, leaves the table, goes to work and suffers a fatal heart attack. This tragedy cements Coleman's resolve to follow his own plan and he trades the use of his fists for a college education. When we meet Coleman in his later years, he is white and Jewish and considered by his peers to be a bigot.
He seeks out the help of a reclusive writer, Nathan Zuckerman (Gary Sinise), who has sequestered himself in a cabin not far from the school. Silk wants the writer's-blocked author to help him clear the good name of Silk. From these professional beginning does a personal friendship develop and Coleman becomes a sort of muse to his younger friend. Then, circumstance has Coleman cross paths with Faunia Farley (Nicole Kidman), a fiery 34-year old woman who stirs a long forgotten passion in the elder Silk. Faunia has a not so nice past and the local baggage of her ex-husband Lester (Ed Harris), a violent time bomb of a man who still thinks Faunia is still his.
Thinking about "Human Stain," and reading about the true-life stories about people passing white for black, Catholic for Jew or straight for gay, I had a problem with Roth's story of a black man working to "pass" for a Jew. Yes, there are cases of it, but in the 40's the step up, social prejudice-wise, from black to Jewish is not the first idea that would come to my mind. This is a nit-pick, maybe, but couple it with casting Anthony Hopkins, a man as Anglo-Saxon as can be, as an old African-American just doesn't cut it for me. It's not that Hopkins's acting is a problem, it is the story itself that is problematic.
Then there's Nicole Kidman's performance as Faunia. The actress, basically, always looks pissed and chain smokes, which gives a gravelly sound to her voice but the character, as portrayed by Kidman, does not work. Hopkins gives the expected dignity to his professorial character. Sinise, as the narrator and participant, actually has more chemistry with Hopkins than does Kidman. Ed Harris, as usual, puts a solid spin on his on-the-edge character that is, perhaps, responsible for the film's most tragic moment. Wentworth Miller does fine in the flashbacks but the casting of him or Hopkins really needed a change.
Techs are, of course, of a high caliber.
I really need to peruse the Roth novel to see where the problem lay but, with the film, my main trouble I could not suspend my disbelief. This is a big problem. I give it a C.
For more Reeling reviews visit www.reelingreviews.com
[email protected]
[email protected]
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
