Affliction (1997)

A deeply troubled small town cop investigates a suspicious hunting death while events occur that cause him to mentally disintergrate.

Director:

Paul Schrader

Writers:

Russell Banks (novel), Paul Schrader (screenplay)

Stars:

Nick Nolte, Brigid Tierney, Sissy Spacek

Won 1 Oscar. Another 11 wins & 13 nominations.

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

Storyline

Wade Whitehouse is a sheriff of a small New Hampshire town who achieved nothing in life in the opinion of his ex-wife Lillian and daughter Jill and is a heavy drinker. His girlfriend Margie accepts him the way he is. On the first day of the hunting season, Wade's friend Jack takes a wealthy businessman to hunt - and only Jack returns alive. Wade decides to play detective and starts investigating the case despite the fact Jack insists it was an accidental self-inflicted shot.

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Plot Keywords:

hunting | small town | sheriff | mirror | barn | 

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Taglines:

Wade Whitehouse is frightened to death of following in his father's footsteps.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Lionsgate Home Entertainment [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 January 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Den jagede

Filming Locations:

Beloeil, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$63,979 (USA) (1 January 1999)

Gross:

$6,302,154 (USA) (14 May 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

JVC Entertainment Networks, Kingsgate Productions, Largo Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During their praise of the film, Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel noted that James Coburn was the perfect kind of person that seems like he could intimidate a man like Nick Nolte, who is famous for playing domineering and blustery men.

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Goofs

Wade puts his right hand's finger in his mouth because of his toothache, but when he turns his back to Margie he appears with his left hand's finger in his mouth.

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Quotes

Glen Whitehouse: You done finely...done it like a man!

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Connections

Featured in The 71st Annual Academy Awards (1999)

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Soundtracks

"Open the Door to Your Heart"
Written by Ned Miller
Performed by Bonnie Guitar
Used by permission of Dandelion Music Co.
Courtesy of Bear Family Records

User Reviews

What it is to be a man

Based on a novel by Russell Banks who also wrote "The Sweet Hereafter", and directed by Paul Schrader of "Raging Bull" and "The Mosquito Coast" fame, the winter landscape and cold bleakness of the town sets the tone for this exploration of the dark legacy of what it is to be a man.

Nick Nolte stars in this dark story of a the lone policeman in a small New Hampshire town investigating a hunting accident. James Coburn is excellent as Nick Nolte's father, a brutal and angry old man who typifies a sick machismo which has in turn afflicted his son. His acting is extraordinary as is Nolte's although their styles are different. Noltle is subtle; his facial expressions are controlled and typical of a man who has learned to hold in emotion. Coburn's face, on the other hand, is more deeply expressive; his eyebrows move, his mouth hardens, his eyes glare.

This is the kind of dark, brooding movie that I like. For a brief few hours I enter its world and get completely absorbed in the characters in the way I did with "A thousand Acres" or "The Horse Whisperers". Like these films, there are no easy answers and the conclusion does not wrap up in a neat little Hollywood package that is soon forgotten.