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Movies / On DVD / Misery
Misery

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Misery (1990)

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Reviews Counted:50

Fresh:45

Rotten:5

Average Rating:7.3/10

Consensus: Elevated by standout performances from James Caan and Kathy Bates, this taut and frightening film is one of the best Stephen King adaptations to date.

Runtime: 3 hrs 34 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Synopsis: Romance author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) longs for parting with Misery. Sheldon's plucky heroine of seven novels has delivered Sheldon fame and fortune and recognition beyond the average writer's... Romance author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) longs for parting with Misery. Sheldon's plucky heroine of seven novels has delivered Sheldon fame and fortune and recognition beyond the average writer's dreams, but she is also interminably linked to him. Determined to escape an eternal role as dimestore novelist, he kills her off in the eighth novel and heads to his New England cabin to work on his own Great American Novel. Upon completion, Sheldon excitedly sets out for his New York City publisher in the midst of a raging blizzard and within minutes veers into a desolate snowbank. From the brink of death, he is rescued from the snow by Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who just so happens to be Misery's self-professed biggest fan. At first, she nurses him back to health in her remote cabin, telling him the roads and phones are knocked out by the storm, fawning over his literary accomplishments. However, things change when she purchases his eighth Misery book and reaches the point of Misery's death. Annie's psychotic underbelly swiftly surfaces as the unfortunate author is held clandestinely captive in her home. Meanwhile, a wily small-town sheriff (Richard Farnsworth) circles in.... Director Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's novel is an eerie tale of obsessiveness and isolation. The film features an excellent turn by Caan and an Oscar-winning performance by Bates. [More]

Starring: Kathy Bates, James Caan, Richard Farnsworth, Frances Sternhagen

Starring: Kathy Bates, James Caan, Richard Farnsworth, Frances Sternhagen, Lauren Bacall

Director: Rob Reiner

Director: Rob Reiner
Screenwriter: William Goldman

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Dec 8, 1998

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Misery

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Director Rob Reiner creates an atmosphere of tense horror wrapped around rich dialogue ("Cockadoodie dirty birdie!"), and in the process, he gets sterling performances from Caan and Bates.

Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | comment Comment
09/27/09
Christopher Smith
Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

Kathy Bates brilliantly portrays Annie as someone with absolutely no sense of her own monstrosity.

Full Review Source: Clothes on Film | comment Comment
09/08/09
Chris Laverty
Chris Laverty
Clothes on Film

Popular moviemaking -- elegantly economical, artlessly artful -- doesn't get much better than this.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
10/14/08
Richard Schickel
Richard Schickel
TIME Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Except for the flat, compromised ending, Reiner's smooth direction and Goldman's nicely structured script make this version of King's novella enjoyable as a horror flick and psychological thriller, not to mention Kathy Bates' superb turn as the wacko fan

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
10/08/07
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

The dark duet between Paul and the frankly psychopathic Annie is played to tense perfection.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
09/25/07
Channel 4 Film

From start to harrowing finish, it is blissfully apparent that Rob Reiner can indeed turn his hand to virtually anything.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
09/25/07
Philip Thomas
Philip Thomas
Empire Magazine

Director Rob Reiner is clearly more comfortable with the humor and humanity than the gory horror in King's grisly tale.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
09/25/07
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Bates has a field day with her role, creating a quirky, memorable object of hate.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
09/25/07
Variety Staff
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A skillfully pared-down (if psychologically thin) horror thriller.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
09/25/07
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Rob Reiner builds Stephen King's tale with clean, effortless strokes.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
06/30/07
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

Sweat-inducing suspense thriller.

comment Comment
10/05/06
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

Reiner captures just the right level of physical tension, but for the most part wisely emphasises the mental duels. Terrific.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out

It's a definite KEEPER!!

Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment Comment
06/02/06
JoBlo
JoBlo
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

Superb!

comment Comment
11/17/05
S. James Wegg
S. James Wegg
JWR

Horrifying tale with deserved Oscar performance by Kathy Bates.

comment Comment
10/14/05
Steve Crum
Steve Crum
Video-Reviewmaster.com

A first-rate suspense film with excellent performances.

comment Comment
10/08/05
Chuck O'Leary
Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily

No review available.

comment Comment
07/29/05
Jake Euker
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)

Not as good as the book, but Kathy Bates is perfect

comment 1 Comment
05/28/05
Luke Y. Thompson
Luke Y. Thompson
New Times

No review available.

comment Comment
05/27/05
Jon Niccum
Jon Niccum
Lawrence Journal-World

No review available.

comment Comment
05/15/05
Mike McGranaghan
Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Halloween is a great time for three of life's essential pleasures -- pigging out on candy, dressing up in a fun costume, and watching an obscene amount of horror movies.... More...

May 17, 2005: Bates, McDowell and Leigh to Hit the "Funny Farm"
From Cannes, The Hollywood Reporter brings news of an upcoming ensemble comedy that sounds pretty enticing: Kathy Bates ("Misery"), Malcolm McDowell ("A Clockwork... More...

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