`Being Human': A Tapestry Of Life -- Robin Williams Travels Through Our Collective Past

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XXX "Being Human," with Robin Williams. Directed and written by Bill Forsyth. Harvard Exit. "PG-13" - Parental guidance strongly suggested because of mature content. ------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyone who goes to "Being Human" expecting a zany Robin Williams comedy is going to be either mystified and disappointed or appreciatively fascinated by this beguiling, totally original and occasionally problematic fable from Bill Forsyth, the witty director of "Local Hero," "Gregory's Girl," and the underrated Burt Reynolds comedy "Breaking In."

It's an ambitious narrative experiment that works better in theory than in practice, but by weaving a tapestry of five stories spanning some 6,000 years, Forsyth has used his peculiar brand of cinematic whimsy to chronicle the simple yet vastly complex condition of "being human," with all of the joy, sorrow, adventure, absurdity, genius, stupidity and sheer exhilaration of simply being alive and part of our collective history.

`A story about a story'

Presenting itself as "a story about a story" and narrated by Theresa Russell as a kind of epic fairy tale, the film is framed by its final present-day segment and then proceeds chronologically through the histories of Hector (Robin Williams), five characters - or perhaps all the same time-traveling man - who represent five

vastly different periods of human development.

The first Hector is a neolithic nomad from the Bronze Age, who loses his wife and children to an invading clan of superstitious strangers; the second Hector is the meek servant of a prissy merchant (hilariously played by John Turturro) in a provincial outpost of ancient Rome; Hector No. 3 is a medieval traveler in the 12th century who follows the alluring lead of an irresistible foreign woman (played by the stunningly beautiful Anna Galiena, from "The Hairdresser's Husband").

The fourth Hector is a 16th-century castaway with the crew of a shipwrecked Portuguese trader; and the fifth and final Hector is a present-day New York father trying to reconcile an unhappy past with his two estranged children.

Better as a whole

As these historic chapters meld into each other, it's not always clear what Forsyth is up to, and taken alone each individual tale is either vague or of only passing interest, offering plenty of Forsyth's wonderfully understated humor but never adding up to much as separate tales.

Ah, but the entire quilt is far more rewarding than its patchwork, and as "Being Human" unfolds, visual and narrative patterns and cross-references continually emerge to echo and reinforce the themes of Forsyth's human saga. With D.W. Griffith's "Intolerance" as a possible model, Forsyth has threaded a fine line of continuity throughout his millennia, and as vexing as it sometimes is, it seems likely that "Being Human" will stand the test of time, gaining a loyal following as it continues to reveal its depth and intentions upon subsequent viewings.

And Williams, himself seeming a bit lost in Hector's history, makes a fittingly soulful guide through the maze of humanity. Not content to repeat himself, Williams continues to demonstrate an openness to occupational hazards, and we can be thankful that directors like Forsyth are around to offer up a challenge.