79
Metascore
35 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Austin ChronicleRussell SmithAustin ChronicleRussell SmithIn this magnificent, profoundly tragic film, Nolte and Coburn each turn in career-best performances as a father and son who embody the ancient, seemingly ineradicable male pathology of violence, retribution, and the slow death of the soul.
- 90Film.comJohn HartlFilm.comJohn HartlAffliction could be their (Nolte, Coburn) finest couple of hours on film; they do seem to be father and son, rather than actors playing these roles.
- 90Film.comFilm.comRanks with the year's scant handful of must-see movies, for the scant handful of moviegoers who revere powerful stories, disturbing, unforgettable characters, plots with the serious sweep of literature, and kickass acting above all else.
- 88ReelViewsJames BerardinelliReelViewsJames BerardinelliAffliction is for anyone willing to take the journey into the heart and soul of a troubled man on the edge.
- 75Philadelphia InquirerDesmond RyanPhiladelphia InquirerDesmond RyanNolte, reinforced by the bleak discretion of Schrader's direction and a wonderful supporting cast, makes the most of the opportunity.
- 75Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittNolte gives one of his most fully realized performances, Coburn makes an amazingly powerful comeback, and Schrader's filmmaking has never been more expressive or assured.
- 75San Francisco ChronicleEdward GuthmannSan Francisco ChronicleEdward GuthmannSchrader seems to understand these characters implicitly, and the result is probably the best film he has directed.
- 70The New RepublicStanley KauffmannThe New RepublicStanley KauffmannNolte and Coburn are so powerful that they distort what, we are told, is the story's theme. [Feb. 1, 1999]
- 63USA TodayMike ClarkUSA TodayMike ClarkJames Coburn plays father in what may be the best performance of his career. [30 December 1998, Life, p.3D]
- 60VarietyTodd McCarthyVarietyTodd McCarthyThe pervasive chill, ugly feelings and downward spiral of the narrative make this a work that requires an equally sober, serious-minded attitude on the part of the viewer.