Review of The Human Stain (2003) by Miranda K — 12 Aug 2006
Directed by Robert Benton.
Starring Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris, Gary Sinese, Wentworth Miller, Jacinda Barrett.
The gravity of the story indeed could leave a human stain. There?s something in the Roth-Benton combination that could only mean an edgy, forlorn drama that could crumble the soul: Roth, his multi-layered novels always has a plethora of things to say about humanity and Benton, whose dramas set in small-town America make it seem the center of the world. Add to that mix an Anthony Hopkins who could even make a Stephen King book looked Pulitzer-prized, and the peerless Kidman, Harris and Sinese. What seemed to be a revelation however, was Wentworth Miller whose portrayal of the young Hopkins was nothing short of mesmerizing. There were probably many scenes that were cut from the book, for somewhere in the middle one couldn?t help but ask where the narrator had gone. As it was designed, the strength of the movie comes from its two-actor scenes.
Best Scene: Two men dancing and an admission of an affair.
Quote: After dancing, Coleman admits to having an affair and quite possibly being in love:
?I?m having an affair, Nathan?when this stuff comes back so late in life, completely unexpected, completely unwanted, it comes back with such force?there?s nothing you can do about it. There?s nothing to dilute it.?
This review of The Human Stain (2003) was written by Miranda K on 12 Aug 2006.
The Human Stain has generally received positive reviews.
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