| A rough ride over a frozen landscape Vivienne DuBourdieu on the Human Stain - currently showing at the Watermans
A rough ride over a frozen landscape starts this emotional roller-coaster of a film, lifting the lid on a dangerous relationship between a troubled young woman and an older man - both of whom have been hiding dark secrets. Based on Philip Roth�s famous novel, The Human Stain stars Academy Award winner, Anthony Hopkins and Academy Award Nominee, Nicole Kidman. The Human Stain is a fascinating look at contemporary society with all its crassness and hypocrisy. A distinguished New England academic, Coleman Silk, is brought low by allegations of racism. The shock kills his wife. Silk, still pondering the irony of the judgment upon him, involves himself in two new relationships - one touching and often very funny one with a writer who is suffering metaphorical paralysis, and the other with a lowly but raunchy and beautiful janitor, who supplements her income by milking cows. Hopkins portrays the complexities of his role with consummate delicacy. One minute stubborn, abrasive, and punchy, the next minute he is vulnerable, and wonderfully open about his failings. It is not too hard to see why his �last love� finds him loveable. And Kidman is a remarkable foil for the older actor, quite able to cover a wide gamut of emotions in her own right. Gary Sinise as writer Nathan Zuckerman, with Ed Harris as the relentless husband of a runaway wife, complete the main cast in this fascinating detective story. And does the �baddie� get his rightful judgement? Not in the world that was sandwiched between President Clinton�s sexual exploits and September 11. The Human
Stain can be seen at Watermans Cinema on Wednesday and Thursday this week. |