Weak directing in The Human Stain

The Human Stain

Director: Robert Benton

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris, Gary Sinise

Cert: 18.

It's hard to believe, in this screen adaptation of the Philip Roth novel, that so many otherwise excellent actors could be so miscast and out of their depth.

Hopkins tries hard to make something of his college Dean role but doesn't succeed and Kidman, after a run of quality performances, fails completely to engage us.

The story is set in Hopkin's college, where he battles the growing menace of political correctness. He makes an unfortunate remark about two students and finds himself in deep trouble since they turn out to be black (as he is 50% himself, though he has kept his background secret). Throw in a 'romance' with the troubled Kidman, have her husband (Harris) a brutal Viet veteran nutcase and have this complicated tale told in flashback by a writer (Sinise) … and have it all ruined by weak directing from a poor screenplay.

Perhaps Roth really is too hard to bring to the screen. This one certainly doesn't add weight to an alternative argument.

Star Rating: 1/5