BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

ScoobyWell Great visuals, story delivers no surprises

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

urbanlegend23 The main thing that pushed me to finally watch "Affliction" was to check out the Oscar-winning performance by James Coburn. Correct me if I'm wrong, but at the time, this legendary actor scooping up Best Supporting Actor over more the more heavily favored Ed Harris ("The Truman Show") was something of a surprise. Personally, I would've still selected Harris on that ballot, but there can be no doubt that Coburn's skin-crawling turn as an alcoholic, abusive father is also deserving of recognition. He makes this character – who could've been an absolute cartoon – feel completely three-dimensional, and shares a palpable familial chemistry with on-screen son Nick Nolte (also excellent). Coburn's imposing and unpredictable presence ensures the film is infinitely more interesting every time he appears on screen.Director Paul Schrader establishes a believable small town atmosphere in the film's first hour. The snow-coated, winter setting adds an atmosphere of detachment and bleakness entirely fitting to the journey of the main character.However, I'd be lying if I didn't say I found "Affliction" to be an overly slow-paced film, lacking in narrative drive. Even the 'murder mystery' aspect (along with it's "is-that-it?" resolution) does not do much for the plot. There is also heavy-handed and unnecessary voice-over narration. Bizarrely it is delivered by Willem Dafoe, who doesn't show up in the film for quite some time, and when he does, doesn't leave much of an impression. It would've been better to omit the narration altogether.I wouldn't entirely dissuade audiences from checking out "Affliction" – but it is likely to frustrate the mainstream audience expecting more of a murder-mystery thriller. Schrader has opted instead for an introspective character piece, which is certainly going to satisfy some (including, as it happened, the critics, who lavished praise upon this film), but frankly it is going to flat-out bore many viewers.

Mere Humsafar All along the movie. you know there is some mystery, something unexplained.. but you are still surprised at the end.. But that is only a part of the story.. the movie shows so truly some of the human emotions and sufferings, you feel it could be you in place of Wade.. Any of us could have done exactly what Wade did in his life.. any of us could be subject to the reactions Wade was subject to..from a wife, from a daughter, from a brother.. even from a lover.. emotions can run deeper , deeper and deeper.. The excellent photography of the forest, the snow, the snowfall is beautiful and bleak at the same time.. The movie once again shows that the anguish and angst of man can be same in a cool environs of a small town as it can be in a restless and explosive metropolis.. Nick Nolte is one those fine actors, who really gets into the skin of the character.. there are unforgettable scenes (like the tooth..ex..) Unfortunate that he did not win the Oscar.

cormac_zoso "Affliction", based on the disturbing novel by Russell Banks, is a monumental "little" film. It's one of those independents that got overlooked by the public but not by the critics and certainly not by fans of the incomparable Nick Nolte. I won't give a lot of details or a plot summary since it's been done several times already."Affliction" is the story of how alcoholism is a disease some family members "catch" but all are affected by negatively in some way. James Coburn, family patriarch, has the disease. Nick Nolte, eldest son, catches it. And both Willem Dafoe, youngest son, and Mary Beth Hurt, wife, are affected by it. The wife is beaten into submission years before while the youngest son in scared to death of his father and as he says in the film, "I was a careful child and I became a careful adult" (explaining how one episode caused him to be very careful around his father and thus, it is now his role in life).But for this film, we are focusing on Nolte and Coburn who are so intense in this movie it is beyond belief that there was not a two-fer Oscar win for their performances. This is a father-son screen story for the ages worthy of a Greek tragedy. And as we join them at their current ages and the current stage of the battle, they are a frightening dynamic to watch.See the story in the Trivia section of the preparation conversation between the director Paul Schrader and Coburn. It is a true shame that we were not given the opportunity to see Coburn truly act more often. I always liked Coburn since he seemed likable but his career was a string of mainstream mediocrity in which he was punching a clock. This role shows us the depth of this man's talent that sadly Hollywood and he wasted with choices more like the embarrassing "Snow Dogs" than true acting vehicles such as this.For Nolte it was yet again another shaft by the Academy. People seem to be happy to equate Nolte's talent with the infamous mug shot that is so happily reprinted from a substance-related arrest. Why I do not know. I cannot think of another actor that I would lay down my money to see and know that am guaranteed my money's worth from his efforts at least. As someone mentioned in the comments, Tom Hanks (who also lost out on an Oscar in the same category losing to the lead role from the most insulting and disrespectful film made in many years, "Life is Beautiful"), would never have considered taking Nolte's role. Never. He is not going to take a role which contrasts with his "good guy" image and so we are treated to an endless stream of "average, nice guy wins" roles from him while Nolte, who takes more chances than any other actor in Hollywood, is continually ignored. This part is as skillfully crafted as his role in "Mother Night". You can see more of his talent in "Nightwatch" and more recently in "Off The Black", another small film he makes a big impact in. All ignored by the Academy.Nolte's skill makes his paranoid reactions to situations believable where other actors would make it comical or simply awkward. His anger and angst as well as his broken personality bursts out of the screen. Throughout this film his character PLEADS for help in every way he can without sacrificing that tough, leathery exterior that "real men" are supposed to have in this country (at least of that generation, that last generation it was expected of) and that his father holds up as the highest achievement any man can attain. But he is a broken man, broken deep inside where it is nearly impossible to repair and must start with a soul being opened up completely like a gutted, helpless fish which is not something men growing up in a situation like this can ever do, during or after (though honestly there is never an after ... it is always during ... and it is for the rest of your life). Nolte makes it all so real and genuine many comments on this board say he "must not be acting and must really be like this". I don't know Mr. Nolte personally and I am certain others saying this do not. It's just one more way of snubbing his immense and honest talent in favor of what the news media and the hammerheads on the internet would rather have you believe is the Nolte that matters, that is, that infamous mug shot.And what different "thing" does Nolte bring to every role? What makes the actor so unique? One thing I always notice is the walk, the gate of each character. In "Affliction" it is a rhythmic, self-assured stride as he is protecting what little of his insides there is left to try to save. But as the anger and the madness take him, the stride is hard, punching, and off-center.In "Off The Black", his stride is also off-center, physically with his right foot pointing out and his left foot pointing in as he angles through his uncertain life, uncertain of himself and his place in the world.I'm running out of room as I always do but Sissy Spacek and Willem Dafoe make big things of their smaller parts and flesh out the fun house mirror-feeling of the central figure's life that keeps us all off-balance to the sudden and brutal end.Schrader directs this group to a perfect film in my opinion. It builds to a deafening, disturbing crescendo in steady, well-timed measures. He was also overlooked for the Oscar for what is his best film since "American Gigolo".See this film. It cuts to the bone and then scrapes across the bone in a long slow draw.

screenman With a cast headed by James Coburn, Nick Nolte, Willem Dafoe & Sissy Spacek, you might expect a tour-de-force in screen drama. Well; you'll be disappointed.This item was pulled from the bran-tub. Suspiciously, it came in one of those very thin plastic cases which usually betoken a crap movie, but for £1 it seemed worth a try. The case didn't deceive.Set in small town New Hampshire, USA, during the winter, we are treated to a dismal and rather confusing drama. Once more, the lighting crew appear to have gone on strike and even the interiors of buildings are places of unremitting gloom. The script may be 'realistic' but it is largely boring. Most of the dialogue is spoken in a hushed and hurried way that is frequently unintelligible. You strain to hear a clue that was never there, or a snippet of conversation that wasn't worth your attention. Nick Nolte's character has family problems. Yes; he's a dead-beat dad. Aren't they all? His own father (played by Coburn) was himself a violent man and - well; the abused eventually turns abuser.Partway through, a homicide bi-line appears in the form of a suspicious shooting. Is it an accident, or is it murder? It begins to look as though the movie will finally develop into something. 'A Perfect Plan' comes to mind, or even 'Fargo'. But not so. This issue just limps confusedly along with the dead-beat dad plot to no particular outcome whatsoever. It's also rather curious how many movies depict small-town America as cultural black-holes riven by disillusion, drink, and unhappiness. Can't humans ever be comfortable together? Just occasionally there are moments - all too brief - of tension, drama and tenderness, but for the very most part it's just a 109 minute dirge.The movie begins with a long-winded and convoluted intro narrated by Willem Dafoe (who plays Nolte's little brother) and ends in a similar way, but this time with a reproval of universal male domestic-violence that is as heavy-handed as it is plain wrong. It's a piece that might have been written by the most embittered, self-righteous feminist. And it absolutely stinks.The politically-correct with no discernment will love this crap. Those with a more balanced outlook will see it for what it is.