Plot: What’s it about?
Coleman Silk (Anthony Hopkins) is a well like professor in a small New England town, his life seems as normal as anyone’s could be. His students tend to enjoy his classes, he is liked by his peers, and his family is close and supportive. But his life holds a dark secret, one he has kept from everyone for over fifty years. That secret is soon to come to the surface however, when a bold turn of events changes his life forever. When two of his students never seem to be class, he asks the others if the two are perhaps spooks, meaning ghosts in the classroom. His comments are taken as racial slurs by some however, which sparks a meeting with the school’s supervisors, who decide to terminate his employment. Silk does little to defend himself, because he feels the charges are foolish, but also because he is filled with intense rage. His friend Nathan Zuckerman (Gary Sinise) looks into the situation, since he knows his friend wouldn’t make such racist comments, which leads him to Silk’s buried secret. Now Zuckerman wants to go back in his friend’s life and put together the pieces, to see how this incredible hoax was set into motion. At the same time, Silk begins a torrid affair with a trouble janitor (Nicole Kidman). Will his hidden past return to haunt him, or will Silk find comfort in not hiding anymore?
This movie has a secret, one that is impossible to keep in a review, but in truth, the secret is not that explosive. A character in The Human Stain lives as a white man, when in fact he is a light skinned black man. This is the deep, dark secret the movie’s case promises, but rest assured, this is so mishandled, you’ll have to laugh. In Philip Roth’s novel, the secret is used to add humor, drama, and suspense, none of which are present here. Roth wrote with wit and sharpness, whereas Nicholas Meyer neuters the material in his screenplay. What could have been a scathing movie with firm impact is instead a whimpering mess, a total disappointment. If nothing else, the selection of Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, The Edge) makes one curious, since he is not in the least able to be mistaken for a black man, no matter how light his skin is. The social commentary on race is all but lost as a result, as if the lame writing from Meyer wasn’t enough to doom Roth’s biting social views, so The Human Stain is a clunker. Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge, The Hours) provides a decent turn, but the weak screenplay holds her back. Even Ed Harris is wasted here, which leaves with almost nothing positive to comment about. I found this to be a misfire on all counts, but if you have to see it, a rental is more than sufficient.
Video: How does it look?
The Human Stain is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. As this is a visually complex picture, I had some doubts about this transfer, but those worries were unfounded, as the image provided here looks terrific in all respects. I did see some grain, but it is light and never an issue, while the source print is in fantastic condition, as expected from such a new release. The visuals are very dark, but contrast is solid throughout. I saw some pulses in black levels at times, but I saw these same issues in the theater. As such, I am not concerned with them, since they appear to be part of the intended visual scheme. Not much else to discuss here, just another solid new release transfer from Miramax.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a dialogue driven movie, so the included Dolby Digital 5.1 track is no monster, but it does cover all the bases. The surrounds are reserved for some ambient effects and the musical soundtrack, but that works out well, given the nature of the material. The main focus is on the vocals, which come through with flying colors, with accurate volume balance and a crisp overall sound throughout. So no, this won’t be a demo level audio track, but as far as the material goes, it is more than up to snuff. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes two brief featurettes, but neither provide much depth and are your basic promotional fluff.
