Title: Affliction
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Cast: Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek, James Coburn, Willem Dafoe
Director: Paul Schrader
Release: (1997)
In the interest of full disclosure, I want to be straight with you here. Despite the fame I enjoy as the eighteenth reviewer on this web site’s twenty reviewer panel, I am not actually a professional film critic and, therefore, have no real obligation to act professionally. So I might as well just admit that I remain a fan first – subject to the same biased opinions for my favorite actors as anyone. Whether based on a long career of impressive work or just a handful of absolutely astounding performances, there are just some actors on my list you will probably never hear me speak ill of (short of their agreement to participate in a Godfather remake built around Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as Michael and Sonny, or anything like that). Nick Nolte is one of those actors, so just take that for what it’s worth here.
Even with that out there, I feel absolutely confident about laying my imaginary reputation on the line to tell you that Nolte gives a truly blistering performance as the alcoholic, scarred oldest son of a family still struggling to escape their father’s wrath in the excellent Affliction. James Coburn won a well-deserved Oscar (his only) for his role as the aging, also alcoholic, borderline sadistic father who clings hard to his eldest son Wade (Nolte), who he still sees parts of himself in and who he knows he can still control. Sissy Spacek also turns in a strong performance as Wade’s by default girlfriend, in a small town without many other options. Willem Dafoe is reliable, though not really asked to do much, as Wade’s younger brother Rolfe and also as the story’s intermittent narrator. It is actually a little jarring in the flow of this movie that Dafoe’s narration introduces the first scene, disappears for about an hour straight, and then reappears to remind you “Oh yeah, I forgot there was supposed to be narrator to this.”
There’s also a somewhat odd subplot going on in this movie about a suspicious hunting accident/potential murder Wade is trying to solve. For the life of me I still can’t decide if it fits well in this movie as a vehicle to examine Wade’s growing paranoia and detachment from reality, or if it was just a completely unnecessary diversion from a great character story that doesn’t need any help. At best, it doesn’t really detract from the human drama at all. Kudos, as well, to Paul Schrader and his cast of cinematographers, location crew and set designers for perfectly capturing the feel of a crushingly cold and gray, small-town New Hampshire winter that puts the viewer right into the character’s atmosphere, where an unrelenting sameness can wear away any unsuspecting soul over enough years.
But for my money it is Nolte who carries the day and powers this purely performance driven piece. His deterioration as Wade is absolutely mesmerizing and we can’t do anything but watch as he slowly simmers, moment by moment, to an uncontrollable, explosive boil. In fact, I would put this effort right up there even with his unforgettably nuanced portrayal of coach Pete Bell in the classic “Blue Chips”, so you know it’s gotta be strong. What?
Grading
Story: B+ (just for the whole unnecessarily competing subplots distraction)
Acting: A+
Visuals: A (no special effects or anything, but a thoroughly tangible feel to many scenes)
Originality/Innovation: N/A (based on a novel I didn’t actually read, so I won’t grade)
Enjoyability: A (if you enjoy being wholly depressed by a movie)
Overall: A
|
