Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Affliction (1997)
Affliction
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Affliction (1997) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 19 | slideshow) Videos
Affliction (1997) -- A deeply troubled small town cop investigates a suspicious hunting death while events occur that cause him to mentally disintergrate.

Overview

User Rating:
6.9/10   6,593 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 3% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Paul Schrader
Writers (WGA):
Russell Banks (novel)
Paul Schrader (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Affliction on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 January 1999 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Mystery | Thriller more
Tagline:
Wade Whitehouse is frightened to death of following in his father's footsteps.
Plot:
A deeply troubled small town cop investigates a suspicious hunting death while events occur that cause him to mentally disintergrate. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 7 wins & 13 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(15 articles)
Can Amy Adams really pull off an upset at the Oscars?
 (From Gold Derby. 10 February 2009, 3:02 PM, PST)

Adam Resurrected: A Roundtable
 (From GreenCine. 9 December 2008, 7:21 AM, PST)

User Comments:
Bleak, shocking, and brutal portrayals of men behaving badly. more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Nick Nolte ... Wade Whitehouse
Brigid Tierney ... Jill Whitehouse
Holmes Osborne ... Gordon LaRiviere

Jim True-Frost ... Jack Hewitt (as Jim True)

Tim Post ... Chick Ward
Christopher Heyerdahl ... Frankie Lacoy (as Chris Heyerdahl)

Marian Seldes ... Alma Pittman
Janine Theriault ... Hettie Rogers
Mary Beth Hurt ... Lillian Whitehouse Horner
Paul Stewart ... Mr. Horner

Sissy Spacek ... Margie Fogg
Wayne Robson ... Nick Wickham
Sean McCann ... Evan Twombley
Sheena Larkin ... Lugene Brooks
Penny Mancuso ... Woman Driver
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for violence and language.
Runtime:
114 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Filming Locations:
Beloeil, Québec, Canada more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
When meeting with James Coburn to discuss the film, director Paul Schrader encouraged Coburn to make heavy preparations for his role. Coburn responded "Oh, you mean you want me to really act? I can do that. I haven't often been asked to, but I can." more
Goofs:
Continuity: When on the deer hunt, in a shot from above Jack is shown putting the index finger of his left hand to his mouth to signal his wealthy customer to be silent, but in the next shot it's his right index finger. more
Quotes:
Wade Whitehouse: I'm free of you. You're not on my back anymore. You see how easy it is? more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1999) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Open the Door to Your Heart more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
6 out of 11 people found the following comment useful:-
Bleak, shocking, and brutal portrayals of men behaving badly., 13 May 2000
10/10
Author: india-3 from Scandinavia, Wisconsin, U.S.

A portrait of a violent destructive father, almost giant-like, whose behavior is threatening and whose words crash against and down upon his sons, dashing them to smithereens, mentally and physically. The father has successfully destroyed his sons, in a long process which began when they were young boys, who stood and watched their father in a hot temper strike blows upon their mother. The sons are unable to touch him, to feel any emotions towards him, but fear and loathing. The father instills fear in the viewer of the film. He is scary. There is nothing to redeem this father. The son who escapes tells this story as the narrator. The scalding and searing hatred and loathing that each holds to some degree for the other is viewed against stark black and white photographs of a New England winter. Seething unrelieving pain is the film's central character. The father and son anesthetize pain in alcoholism, which the narrator-son manages to just escape. Torture, brutal and mental, is shared in this sad family and memories of it loom large and don't go away. The mother's world is silent, and viewing this film, the viewer is just rendered silent: there are no words to describe the lives of the father and his two sons. Wasted, brutalized, and lost are not enough. How many families are there living as the Whitehouses do in our world? Calculating this pain and sadness is the film's bottom line. Metaphors for these realities bounce about and jar the viewer: the son's rotten tooth, the pleasure the father expresses in giving pain to his two sons, the vocabulary of brutality that destroys the human spirit.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Affliction (1997)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
The Music! biggtittsss
Nolte budoinst@aol.com
I didn't like it too much jmmgausa
'Browns' ?? K6pzw
New Hampshire? Insurgent
i get sucked in everytime it's on tv teejay6682
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
The Godfather Ken Park The Kite Runner City of Shoulders and Noses Call Northside 777
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Drama section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.