Because she s been sucked into Schraderland. In the novel, Wade does indeed begin the conversation by saying that their lateness is not his fault. Witness the return of Travis Bickle. Paul Schrader has adapted Affliction from the 1989 Russell Banks novel of the same name, in which Banks set an epic task for himself and came awesomely close to success. In his film, however, Paul Schrader does not indicate any understanding of the tragic.
Tragic realism is rendered as pathetic spectacle.
Since its limited release in January, Affliction has been hailed as a corrosive character study that takes a deadly serious look at the devastation wrought by child abuse and alcoholism. Odd, then, that no such material is contained in this particular film. Yes, a liquor bottle turns up here and there, rather like the hillbilly cousin of Forest Gump's feather. It is more an ominous symbol than a beverage. His weird performance may be a thing to behold, but it doesn't make a lot of sense.