Nick Nolte: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked
1. Wade Whitehouse - Affliction
As an absolute pro at being able to portray true git in any surroundings, be it the mean streets of New York (Taxi Driver), neon-drenched Tokyo (Yakuza) or the greasy floors of a Detroit auto plant (Blue Collar), writer/ director Paul Schrader surprised everyone with this nineties drama. Set in picturesque New Hampshire, Affliction centres on beleaguered cop, Wade Whitehouse, as he puts family squabbles on the back burner in order to look into a seemingly innocent hunting accident. As Wade, Nolte is on blistering - and Oscar-nominated - form, a bundle of rage intent on getting to the bottom of a small town mystery, while at the same time having to spar with his father (a career-topping James Coburn) and the ex wife. If you ever need to bear witness to a true testament of Nolte's skills as an actor, sit back and watch the film's devastating final third, where Nolte somehow manages to create a legend around his own character. A stone cold performance.
Shaun is a former contributor for a number of Future Publishing titles and more recently worked as a staffer at Imagine Publishing.
He can now be found banking in the daytime and writing a variety of articles for What Culture, namely around his favourite topics of film, retro gaming, music, TV and, when he's feeling clever, literature.
