Affliction

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Affliction

R

1999

1h 53m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

50 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In a small New Hampshire town, washed-up cop Wade Whitehouse (Nick Nolte) has a troubled past, an abusive father (James Coburn), the contempt of his ex-wife (Mary Beth Hurt) and an unimpressive streak as a lawman. When hunting guide Jack Hewitt (Jim True) reports a businessman's accidental death during a hunting trip, Wade believes he has a chance to turn around his life, if he can prove it was murder. Increasingly obsessed, Wade begins to lose his composure during the investigation.

Critics Consensus

Dark and bleak, the "kick-ass" performances, especially Nolte's "effective" portrayal of an abused soul, is the reason to see this film.

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Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

04/01/2019

There are too many of these men in life, and not enough films that tell their sad tales. That gives Affliction a therapeutic worth.

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Ed Gonzalez

Slant Magazine

08/17/2001

2.5/4

Overwrought metaphors abound in Paul Schrader's ham-fisted Affliction.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

01/01/2000

4/4

Nick Nolte is a big, shambling, confident male presence in the movies, and it is startling to see his cocksure presence change into fear in Paul Schrader's Affliction.

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Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

06/24/2024

10/10

Affliction hones in on masculinity and the demons that men inherit from one another.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

04/22/2024

3.5/4

Nolte is phenomenal in what’s a career performance, but he was absurdly beaten for the Best Actor Oscar by the buffoonish Roberto Benigni for that extended Hogan’s Heroes episode.

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Deborah Hornblow

Hartford Courant

01/02/2018

3.5/5

"Affliction'' stands as one of [Paul] Schrader's finest efforts, but the real star is [Russell] Banks, who tells a small story with universal implications and explores the devastating affliction of violence between men.

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Leaburn O

@RT35452347 Apr 4

Superbly acted and quite a tough watch because of the realism. This was a great portrayal of a man breaking down and the extent of self destructive elements. Nicely portrayed as to how his father afflicted him with the conditions for a perfect breakdown. Very well made film that we just don’t get these days. Watched on Amazon Prime.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Mar 1

Success in 1 hour and 53 minutes. The 1999 winner of Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (James Coburn).

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Ronald R

@Doctorron Feb 14

Very powerful! Especially in light of the horrible behaviors today

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Scott R

@ScottR Nov 25

NYT 1000 films. I can see why this may have been appreciated, but I don’t think it praiseworthy. The acting was ridiculous and contrived. The plot was worse. Coburn was the best part, but he was someone we were to hate. Really this was a struggle to get through. Saw on YouTube.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Aug 8

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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Boopi H

@RT90026120 Jun 16

when not being numbed by boredom i was depressed by these pathetic losers.

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Paul Schrader

Director

Nick Nolte

Wade Whitehouse

Sissy Spacek

Marge Fogg

James Coburn

Glen Whitehouse

Willem Dafoe

Rolfe Whitehouse

Mary Beth Hurt

Lillian

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Synopsis

In a small New Hampshire town, washed-up cop Wade Whitehouse (Nick Nolte) has a troubled past, an abusive father (James Coburn), the contempt of his ex-wife (Mary Beth Hurt) and an unimpressive streak as a lawman. When hunting guide Jack Hewitt (Jim True) reports a businessman's accidental death during a hunting trip, Wade believes he has a chance to turn around his life, if he can prove it was murder. Increasingly obsessed, Wade begins to lose his composure during the investigation.

Director: Paul Schrader
Producer: Frank K. Isaac, Linda Reisman
Screenwriter: Russell Banks, Paul Schrader
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: JVC Entertainment, Largo Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 15, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.3M
Runtime: 1h 53m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Surround