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The Human Stain
The Human Stain
2003 ·106 min ·France, Germany, United States of America ·R 16+
6.0
IMDb 6.2 КП 6.7 RT 41% MC 57
Drama, Romance
Director: Robert Benton
🎭 Based on «The Human Stain» byPhilip Roth
Trailers The Human Stain
Trailer EN
EN

Coleman Silk is a worldly and admired professor who loses his job after unwittingly making a racial slur. To clear his name, Silk writes a book about the events with his friend and colleague Nathan Zuckerman, who in the process discovers a dark secret Silk has hidden his whole life. All the while, Silk engages in an affair with Faunia Farley, a younger woman whose tormented past threatens to unravel the layers of deception Silk has constructed.

Budget: $30M
US Gross: $5.38M
Worldwide: $24.9M
Anthony Hopkins
Actor
Nicole Kidman
Actor
Ed Harris
Actor
🏆3 wins & 5 nominations total

The Human Stain is a somber, character-driven drama that explores complex themes of racial identity, social hypocrisy, and personal regret. While the performances by Anthony Hopkins and Nicole Kidman are widely praised, the film's adaptation of Philip Roth's novel and its narrative structure receive mixed reactions.

Acting Anthony Hopkins delivers a commanding, nuanced performance that anchors the film's exploration of identity and loss.
Theme The narrative effectively weaves multiple timelines and character histories, creating a contemplative, emotionally resonant atmosphere.
Adaptation The film fails to fully capture the biting social critique and intellectual sharpness of Philip Roth's original novel.
Editing The use of fragmented flashbacks and time jumps is perceived by some as a sophisticated storytelling device, while others find the editing disjointed and confusing.
Acting The casting of Nicole Kidman and the depiction of the age-gap romance draw polarized reactions, with some viewers finding the chemistry compelling and others finding the pairing forced or distracting.
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