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The Human Stain

  • 2003
  • R
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
33K
YOUR RATING
Anthony Hopkins and Nicole Kidman in The Human Stain (2003)
CT #1
Play trailer1:45
1 Video
99+ Photos
Psychological DramaTragic RomanceDramaRomanceThriller

When a disgraced former college dean has a romance with a mysterious younger woman haunted by her dark, twisted past, he is forced to confront a shocking fact about his own life that he has ... Read allWhen a disgraced former college dean has a romance with a mysterious younger woman haunted by her dark, twisted past, he is forced to confront a shocking fact about his own life that he has kept secret for fifty years.When a disgraced former college dean has a romance with a mysterious younger woman haunted by her dark, twisted past, he is forced to confront a shocking fact about his own life that he has kept secret for fifty years.

  • Director
    • Robert Benton
  • Writers
    • Philip Roth
    • Nicholas Meyer
  • Stars
    • Anthony Hopkins
    • Nicole Kidman
    • Ed Harris
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    33K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Robert Benton
    • Writers
      • Philip Roth
      • Nicholas Meyer
    • Stars
      • Anthony Hopkins
      • Nicole Kidman
      • Ed Harris
    • 233User reviews
    • 83Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Human Stain
    Trailer 1:45
    The Human Stain

    Photos148

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    Top cast61

    Edit
    Anthony Hopkins
    Anthony Hopkins
    • Coleman Silk
    Nicole Kidman
    Nicole Kidman
    • Faunia Farley
    Ed Harris
    Ed Harris
    • Lester Farley
    Gary Sinise
    Gary Sinise
    • Nathan Zuckerman
    Wentworth Miller
    Wentworth Miller
    • Young Coleman Silk
    Jacinda Barrett
    Jacinda Barrett
    • Steena Paulsson
    Harry Lennix
    Harry Lennix
    • Mr. Silk
    Clark Gregg
    Clark Gregg
    • Nelson Primus
    Anna Deavere Smith
    Anna Deavere Smith
    • Mrs. Silk
    Lizan Mitchell
    Lizan Mitchell
    • Ernestine
    Kerry Washington
    Kerry Washington
    • Ellie
    Phyllis Newman
    Phyllis Newman
    • Iris Silk
    Margo Martindale
    Margo Martindale
    • Psychologist
    Ron Canada
    Ron Canada
    • Herb Keble
    Mili Avital
    Mili Avital
    • Young Iris
    Danny Blanco Hall
    • Walter
    • (as Danny Blanco)
    Marie Michel
    Marie Michel
    • Young Ernestine
    • (as Kristen Blevins)
    Anne Dudek
    Anne Dudek
    • Lisa Silk
    • Director
      • Robert Benton
    • Writers
      • Philip Roth
      • Nicholas Meyer
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews233

    6.233K
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    Featured reviews

    csk_london

    an engaging, charming film

    The Human Stain is a film about an elderly retired middle-class university professor called Coleman (played by Anthony Hopkins) who begins a relationship with a troubled woman (played by Nicole Kidman) who leads a white-trash existence, and the effects it has on both of them. It also has the side plots (but very much intertwined) of the elderly man's friendship with a young writer (character name Zuckerman)and the young woman's ongoing troubles with her ex-husband.

    I thought this was a lovely film - Anthony Hopkins is excellent and extremely convincing in this role, as were the characters of Farley (the ex-husband) & Zuckerman. The friendship particularly between Zuckerman and Coleman was extremely warm and charming. However, whilst Nicole Kidman's acting was very good, I remained unconvinced by the character that she played. Aside from this, I found the film extremely engaging and believable.
    8brenttraft

    Almost Great

    I almost did not see this because of the poor reviews (only 38% on Rotten Tomatoes) but I'm glad I ignored the reviews and saw it any way. While far from perfect, it is still one of the better films of the year.

    This is a film that aims high, which makes it's imperfections stand out all that much more. While the critics have documented all that is wrong with this film, it is still a powerful story with great acting and cinematography. For me, more cinematic style would have been what this film needed to take it from being a good film to being a great film.

    A strong 8/10 rating.
    8Bob Pr.

    A satisfying film -- I wish there were more like it.

    This just opened in Lawrence, KS, a university town, at the theater that shows indies and foreign films. Maybe Miramax is hoping for a "Big Fat Greek Wedding" type of reaction?

    I've not read the book but, to me, this was a very satisfying film, with some examination of a number of issues: the costs to a black person of crossing over and becoming white -- and/or the price to anyone of becoming disconnected from their families. Although disconnection may give greater freedom in some ways, in others it forms an uncomfortable prison. Another issue might be described as a variant on, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." And yet another is that the "stain" that all of us carry also stains others with whom we come in contact. And maybe there's a dear price (and reward?) that may be paid for following heart too much rather than head?

    Really solid performances by some great actors -- Hopkins, Kidman, Harris -- and the others.

    Some gratuitous nudity was injected, maybe to help ticket sales?, but it was not too far-fetched from the story line.

    All the backgrounds fit (I grew up in Vermont and lived in academia many years elsewhere); the landscape and the Volvos plus the professor's house had a very authentic feel.
    7helen-kerslake

    Mind-opening psychological thriller

    This movie is based around the life of a classics professor (Coleman), who is currently living in a small New England town. He has harboured a dark secret for 50 years which slowly starts coming out and causes his life to unravel painfully. When he loses his job after being wrongfully charged of racism, his wife dies leaving this man who is near retirement, with nothing. He embarks on an affair with a young cleaning lady from the college which quickly turns into a relationship as they reveal intimate secrets to each other and finally find the release and trust they've each been searching for. I quite enjoyed this movie – there was some excellent acting from some top actors, and the sense of intrigue and suspense was maintained throughout. The characters were well-written and the complexities which lingered within their personalities original yet believable. There were moments where I held my breath waiting for the tension to subside and others where I found myself wishing that everything could work out nicely for the people in this story, and remove the arguments and misunderstandings which threatened to ruin what good things they had. It is a truly great movie which can inspire this level of emotion in its audience. The main downside was the fact that it did not seem to flow very well between flashback sequences and the present. Of course I could clearly make out which scenes were of a younger Coleman and memories of the past, however at times failed to recognise their significance at that particular point. It may have been a better idea to insert several shorter flashback clips instead of the lengthy scenes used so that the connection with the present was not lost. There were also sections where the story lagged slightly and I questioned the need for these scenes. In some parts the use of visual without dialogue was extremely effective, but in other parts I felt that the scenes existed solely for the sake of art. In particular, scenes such as the lingering shot of Coleman cradling his wife as she died, froze time and really made me feel the incredible and very sudden loss he suffered. But in comparison, a sequence where the professor's young lady is dancing erotically for him seemed clumsily done as I felt it existed purely for the sake of displaying a sex scene. It did not have the effect of deepening our understanding of the emotions the two main characters felt, which I think it should have done. I was amazed at the end when the terrible secret was revealed through the investigations of a writer who the professor had befriended. To me it would seem wrong to live such a deception your entire life but the movie helped me to understand the character's motives and how he felt that he had no other choice. I was left feeling saddened that someone would have to deny their heritage to such an extent in order to achieve their goals. While it takes a bit of patience to get through the movie (which could have been 20mins shorter), I would highly recommend this movie to anyone. With any luck the more people who watch this movie, the more open-minded society will become and hopefully this type of prejudice will disappear.
    rhstrickland

    Bleach for The Human Stain

    I wished for more from Nicole Kidman after her good performance in Moulin Rouge, but she is stuck in a rut. It is incomprehensible that she won an Oscar for her performance in The Hours, as all she did was smoke cigarettes and brood while wearing a false nose. In The Human Stain, she again smokes cigarettes and broods, this time with dirty fingernails.

    Anthony Hopkins did a good job of playing a man riddled by angst, but his misery seemed to stem from his being in the movie, rather than from being in character. Gary Senise, an enjoyable actor, was stiff and terrified-looking. Ed Harris was typically brilliant.

    The interesting part of the movie is the story of a young black man growing up in the 1940's and "passing" for white. The actors playing his family were wonderful, and the insights offered were moving and human. It is a shame that part of the story was not lifted out and made into a movie of its own. It would have been better for us all.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The mole on the side of Sir Anthony Hopkins' (Coleman Silk's) head was added, due to the fact that Wentworth Miller (Young Coleman Silk) has a mole on the side of his head. Hopkins also wore green contacts to match the color of Miller's eyes.
    • Goofs
      When Coleman is looking in the dictionary for the definition of the word "Spooks" he turns to nearly the beginning of the book that couldn't possibly be the letter "S"
    • Quotes

      Coleman Silk: Granted, she's not my first love. Granted, she's not my great love. But she is sure as hell my last love. Doesn't that count for something?

    • Connections
      Featured in Nicole Kidman: An American Cinematheque Tribute (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      Honeysuckle Rose
      Written by Fats Waller (as Thomas "Fats" Waller) and Andy Razaf

      Performed by Jess Stacy

      Courtesy of Soundies Inc.

      By arrangement with De Pugh Music

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 18, 2003 (Germany)
    • Countries of origin
      • Germany
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • La Piel Del Deseo
    • Filming locations
      • Williams College - Main Street, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA
    • Production companies
      • Miramax
      • Lakeshore Entertainment
      • Stone Village Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $30,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,381,908
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,034,195
      • Nov 2, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $22,954,068
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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