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Paul Schrader's Affliction, adapted from the novel by Russell Banks (The Sweet Hereafter), charts the slow descent of small-town sheriff Wade Whitehouse (a raspy, gruffly restrained Nick Nolte) into violence, the legacy of the corrupt love of an abusive, alcoholic father. The story ostensibly centers on a hunting death on the outskirts of town, but as Wade digs into what may or not be a conspiracy, his personal life spirals out of control. James Coburn, who deservedly won an Oscar for his mocking, sneering performance, is Wade's father, who jumps back into the cycle of abuse when Wade moves in to care for the aging man. Chronicling the story in distant, dispassionate tones is Willem Dafoe as Wade's younger brother Rolfe, who "escaped" his father's legacy in a world of books. Schrader has made his reputation revealing the scarred psyches of American men trying to reconcile the contradictions of masculine fantasy and social reality, as in his screenplays for Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, and in Affliction he creates his most poignant and powerful work. The quiet beauty of the snow-blanketed New Hampshire setting (using Canadian locations) and Schrader's restrained yet intimate cinematic style builds the underlying emotional tensions until they explode in startling close-ups, revealing the repressed fear, rage, and helplessness cracking through Wade's carefully maintained façade. As Rolfe's narration coolly analyzes his brother's affliction, he reveals his own: an emotional remove so complete that he's edited himself out of his family history. The legacy of abuse leaves no one untouched. --Sean Axmaker
Product Description
Nick Nolte, James Coburn. Russell Banks' tragic tale of misery and self-destruction in a small New Hampshire town. Coburn won an Oscar. 1999/color/114 min/R/fullscreen.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This review refers to the May 2003 release of Lion's Gate DVD edition of "Affliction".....
1998 was a year when World War II films and English period pieces took center stage. But amidst those wonderful films,there was also "Affliction". An excellent film and brillant character study that may leave you thinking about it for days afterwards. A superb piece of filmamking. Artful direction and a beautiful screenplay by Paul Schrader(who also wrote the screenplays for "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull"), skillfully filmed by Paul Sarossy, and exquiste acting by a cast that includes, Nick Nolte, James Coburn, Sissy Spacek and Willem Dafoe make for one deep and moving drama.
Dafoe captivatingly narrates this story of Wade Whitehouse(Nolte). A small town cop,whose past has a grip on him and won't let go. Wade who was raised by an alcoholic and abusive father(Coburn), now seems to be losing his own grip on reality as he tries to juggle his own dysfunctional life. He is in the midst of an investigation of an "accidental" hunting accident, he is trying (unsuccessfully) to mend his relationship with his young daughter, and trying to make some sort of life with his new girlfriend(Spacek). His past and his present come crashing down around him, as he examines his life and the bad memories are flooding back to him. Wade must try to break this cycle or live his life burdened with the chains of the past.
Nolte turns in what may be the performance of his career and was honored by the Nat'l Society of Film Crtics, and The New York Film Critic's Circle Awards for Best Actor in his role. Coburn is also superb and recieved an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the abusive father. I highly recommend this film to anyone who appreciates fine filmaking and an excellent drama.
This Lion's Gate DVD is an excellent transfer. The picture is sharp and clear and the colors vibrant. The sound is in Dolby Digital Stereo and is great for this film of almost all dialouge.
There are no bonus features, but it has subtitles in both English and Spanish and if you click on to the Lion's Gate logo in the main menu you will find some trailers as well.
A not to be missed film for lovers of great cinema. Thanks and enjoy...Laurie
also recommended:
The Ice Storm
Luzhin Defence (Full Screen Version)
Three Colors Trilogy (Red / White / Blue) [Import](All-region)(Remastered)
1998 was a year when World War II films and English period pieces took center stage. But amidst those wonderful films,there was also "Affliction". An excellent film and brillant character study that may leave you thinking about it for days afterwards. A superb piece of filmamking. Artful direction and a beautiful screenplay by Paul Schrader(who also wrote the screenplays for "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull"), skillfully filmed by Paul Sarossy, and exquiste acting by a cast that includes, Nick Nolte, James Coburn, Sissy Spacek and Willem Dafoe make for one deep and moving drama.
Dafoe captivatingly narrates this story of Wade Whitehouse(Nolte). A small town cop,whose past has a grip on him and won't let go. Wade who was raised by an alcoholic and abusive father(Coburn), now seems to be losing his own grip on reality as he tries to juggle his own dysfunctional life. He is in the midst of an investigation of an "accidental" hunting accident, he is trying (unsuccessfully) to mend his relationship with his young daughter, and trying to make some sort of life with his new girlfriend(Spacek). His past and his present come crashing down around him, as he examines his life and the bad memories are flooding back to him. Wade must try to break this cycle or live his life burdened with the chains of the past.
Nolte turns in what may be the performance of his career and was honored by the Nat'l Society of Film Crtics, and The New York Film Critic's Circle Awards for Best Actor in his role. Coburn is also superb and recieved an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the abusive father. I highly recommend this film to anyone who appreciates fine filmaking and an excellent drama.
This Lion's Gate DVD is an excellent transfer. The picture is sharp and clear and the colors vibrant. The sound is in Dolby Digital Stereo and is great for this film of almost all dialouge.
There are no bonus features, but it has subtitles in both English and Spanish and if you click on to the Lion's Gate logo in the main menu you will find some trailers as well.
A not to be missed film for lovers of great cinema. Thanks and enjoy...Laurie
also recommended:
The Ice Storm
Luzhin Defence (Full Screen Version)
Three Colors Trilogy (Red / White / Blue) [Import](All-region)(Remastered)
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
I saw this movie several years ago and it has stayed with me ever since. Whenever I think about the truly great films I've seen, and would like to see again, this one always makes the list as great, but I have avoided watching it again because, depending upon your childhood, it is extremely disturbing. Beware anyone who has experienced life with an abusive parent, you will see the fear and despair come to life before your eyes. James Coburn and Nick Nolte portray this type of hellish relationship with stunning realism. I have read reviews from those who, apparently, couldn't really believe that parents and children could have such a relationship. Not so, friends. This is a scathing, searing, film -- with no bullets or exploding cars. You have been warned.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By R. Swanson
Format:DVD
This is a well made film and I really wanted to like it. Nick Nolte is a favorite and he certainly delivers a powerfull, deeply human performance here. James Coburn is perfect as his truly odious abusive father. Nolte has a way of making his characters sympathetic even when they are doing horrible things. We can see from the opening scene, a Halloween party where he tries to amuse his daughter, that the guy is trying to do the right thing but that he's never going to make it. He has the "affliction" and nothing he does works out.
From this unhappy start things only get worse. That's the problem with the film--there's no contrast between light and dark, tragedy and happiness. No one grows, develops, changes. I'm not saying that every film has to have a happy ending but just watching someone go down and down before your eyes isn't worth watching. Yes, it makes the point---that abusive fathers breed flawed children--but this is hardly news.
Some good actors are wasted. Sissy Spacek didn't seem right for the part. I kept wondering what such a nice girl saw in this train wreck of a guy. Willem Dafoe, who has done a lot of good work, just seems creepy here and his role as the omnipotent teller of the tale doesn't quite work for me.
Nolte's rivetting performance kept me watching. Maybe that was the problem; he's such an innately likable guy that it was too horrible to see his character just go down the tubes. Like the Sissy Spacek character, I wanted to believe in him.
It's visually stunning but that's because most of it is shot in the snow and snow scenes are almost always gorgeous.
I give it three stars just for Nolte's performance. Don't expect to be inspired, uplifted, entertained or to learn anything.
From this unhappy start things only get worse. That's the problem with the film--there's no contrast between light and dark, tragedy and happiness. No one grows, develops, changes. I'm not saying that every film has to have a happy ending but just watching someone go down and down before your eyes isn't worth watching. Yes, it makes the point---that abusive fathers breed flawed children--but this is hardly news.
Some good actors are wasted. Sissy Spacek didn't seem right for the part. I kept wondering what such a nice girl saw in this train wreck of a guy. Willem Dafoe, who has done a lot of good work, just seems creepy here and his role as the omnipotent teller of the tale doesn't quite work for me.
Nolte's rivetting performance kept me watching. Maybe that was the problem; he's such an innately likable guy that it was too horrible to see his character just go down the tubes. Like the Sissy Spacek character, I wanted to believe in him.
It's visually stunning but that's because most of it is shot in the snow and snow scenes are almost always gorgeous.
I give it three stars just for Nolte's performance. Don't expect to be inspired, uplifted, entertained or to learn anything.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
pretty good
The book was better but there were alot of different things that went on in the book but still worth watching!
Published 25 days ago by Hope
4.0 out of 5 stars
Subject
Not the best acting but great subject and commend all who attempt to heal this scar on families. Our world has shifted some what away from this to no accountibility. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Tim Smith
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great movie
Nick does one of his best performances. This movie has a depressing feel to me. Coburn rocks too. It has some good stars and was written well.
Published 29 days ago by Michael
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thought Provoking
This deep character study is more than meets the eye. It is set up as a suspenseful tale but plays off more Shakespearean.
Published 1 month ago by Ben
1.0 out of 5 stars
Slow, boring and depressing
Slow, boring and depressing. This is a movie to avoid unless you want to feel better about your own life by seeing just how bleak a life can be.
Published 1 month ago by S. Feild
4.0 out of 5 stars
Depressing movie
This movie had good production, costumes sets, acting, & good selections made for the individual parts. Read more
Published 2 months ago by D. M. Smith
3.0 out of 5 stars
Afflicition
This is one of Nolte's better early roles. A small town sheriff with an all-too-familiar troubled early childhood, a toothache and too many problems as an adult, it becomes too... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Cluch
4.0 out of 5 stars
Harsh; great acting; dark story.
Seen the end of this on TV. Ordered this and enjoyed. Not a movie you'd watch often. The actors made the movie.
Published 2 months ago by Col. Stevens
1.0 out of 5 stars
Turn this one off after 25 minutes
Absolutely boring movie that did not retain my interest. I turned it off and watched other stuff that I had on my DVR.
Published 2 months ago by dennisal
1.0 out of 5 stars
What a waste of talent!!
Slowest dumbass movie I've ever seen!! Nick Nolte & Sissy Spacek must have been hard up for money to be involved with this garbage!!
Published 2 months ago by ricsan11
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