The tagline asks: how far would you go to escape the past? After seeing erotic drama The Human Stain, there will be a blot on your memory that might prompt you to find out. As an African-American college professor passing for white, Anthony Hopkins' few moments of brilliance are overshadowed by an absurdity of casting that borders on the offensive. It's just one of a few basic flaws that, together, drain the colour from Philip Roth's complex novel.
A tragic chain of events is set into motion when "lily white" Professor Coleman Silk (Anthony Hopkins) casually uses the word 'spooks' referring to his absentee students, and is accused of racism. He loses his job, his wife, and spurs the gossipmongers by seeking comfort in local 'white trash' Faunia Farley (Nicole Kidman). She is an enigmatic woman, half Coleman's age, and, by the way, has an ex-husband with psychotic tendencies (Ed Harris).
The road to true love never did run smooth, but in a film that heavily references Greek tragedy, there are no signposts to a happy ending. The sins committed by Coleman and Faunia prior to their affair come back to scupper it, while Coleman's confidante, novelist Nathan Zuckerman (Gary Sinise), looks on in futility.
"CURIOUSLY HOLLOW"
Removed from the main action, Sinise muddles through relatively unscathed whilst those around him pose for all they're worth. Nicole Kidman and Anthony Hopkins may be gifted screen actors, but they can do little with a pithy script.
As a result of too many dramatic short cuts, their love scenes feel curiously hollow. In fact, with all the legs flailing, earnest speechifying, hot-headed outbursts, and mild abuse of crockery, Robert Benton's adaptation feels more like a fat Greek wedding than an Ancient Greek tragedy. In short, The Human Stain is a film you'd do best to wash your hands of.
The Human Stain (2004)
