Based on a novel by Russell Banks, who also wrote "The Sweet Hereafter," and directed by Paul Schrader, known for "Raging Bull" and "The Mosquito Coast," the winter landscape and cold bleakness of the town sets the tone for this exploration of the dark legacy of what it means to be a man. Nick Nolte stars in this dark story of a small-town policeman in New Hampshire 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. Nolte 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.