Misery

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Misery

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Misery

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

Based on the chilling bestseller by Stephen King, Misery was brought to the screen by director Rob Reiner as one of the most effective thrillers of the 1990s. From a brilliant adaptation by screenwrit...( read more  read more... )er William Goldman, Reiner turned King's cautionary tale of fame and idolatry into a mainstream masterpiece of escalating suspense, translating King's own experience with obsessive fans into a frightening tale of entrapment and psychotic behavior. Kathy Bates deservedly won an Academy Award for her performance as Annie Wilkes, an unbalanced devotee of romance novels written by Paul Sheldon (James Caan), whose books provide Annie with a much-needed escape from her pathetic life and her secret, violent past. After Annie rescues the injured Sheldon from a car accident, she seizes the opportunity to nurse her favorite writer back to health, but her tender loving care soon turns to terrorism as she demands that Sheldon write his latest novel according to her wish-fulfillment fantasies. From this point forward, Misery percolates to a boil as equal parts mystery, thriller, and cleverly dark comedy, with the helpless author pitched in deadly warfare against his number one fan. While Bates carefully modulates her role from doting kindness to sympathetic loneliness and finally to horrifying ferocity, Caan is equally superb as the celebrated author who must literally write for his life. It's essentially a two-actor film, but Richard Farnsworth and Lauren Bacall are excellent in supporting roles as they investigate the writer's mysterious disappearance. Frightening, funny, and totally irresistible, Misery was such a hit that some of Bates's dialogue entered the popular lexicon (particularly her nagging reference to Caan as "Mister Man"), and its nail-biting thrills remain timelessly intense. --Jeff Shannon

Id: 10903313

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Misery Recent Reviews
  • lewiskendell
    December 21, 2009
    lewiskendell
    Misery is such a memorable movie, because you can't help but think of how awful it would be if you were in the shoes of James Caan's character. As Paul begins to realize that something is not quite right with his rescuer, and then tries to find some way to escape from his derange...( read more)d captor, it's almost impossible to not share his unease, alarm, and terror.

    Kathy Bates' portrayal of Annie stands as one of the best performances by a woman in a suspense/horror movie that I've ever seen. From the very beginning she projects a vague sense of wrongness, and eventually that evolves into a terrifyingly unhinged obsession. Who new that a chunky, plain woman could be so frightening?

    Misery is a good adaptation of a good story, and it will keep you wincing and on the edge of your seat for virtually the entire two hours that it takes to watch it. It's less weird than a lot of King's work, so even if you're not into most of his books/movies, you might still find yourself enjoying this thriller.
  • SirPant
    September 22, 2009
    SirPant
    Not really as creepy as it should have been, as it relies too heavily on visual violence and forgets the golden rule that it?s not what you see, it?s what you don?t see that scares!
  • mrpopcorn
    August 5, 2009
    mrpopcorn
    "God I love you."

    A famous novelist is "rescued" from a car crash by an obsessed fan.

    REVIEW

    Bates, perfectly cast as loony tune Annie Wilkes, won an Oscar for Best Actress as the self-pro...( read more)claimed `#1 fan' of bodice-ripping novelist Caan, who finds himself in her web of horror after a car crash landing him in the snow engulfed remote home of his sociopathic, homicidal nurse who will not take no for an answer. William Goldman expertly adapts the Stephen King best seller with a few nice nasty turns here and there and Rob Reiner gives just enough gruesomeness (watch the sledgehammer scene a few times; you'll see what I mean) for frightful flavor
  • stopitgoaway
    July 27, 2009
    stopitgoaway
    Based on the novel by him, 'Misery' is a real Stephen King film. It is a drama film, but also a thriller and sometimes even a horror. In one scene the horror is very clear, you will know what scene I mean.

    Writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan) gets in a car accident. He is helped by ...( read more)Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) who claims she is his number one fan. In his latest novel Sheldon has killed the favorite character of Annie making her a little mad. She keeps Sheldon in her home; he has to bring the character back to life in his next novel.

    Bates, who won an Oscar, is terrific as Annie, one of her finest performances. James Caan who is in bed or a wheelchair most of the film is very convincing. The room he is living in is one of those spaces in the movies you will not forget very soon. Directed by Rob Reiner this is a great film, although it could be a bit slow for some from time to time.
  • hypathio7
    May 13, 2009
    hypathio7
    The title Misery is the ultimate double entendre!

    I was surprised and pleased to see Reiner directed this and Goldman adapted the screenplay. There was more to the story than I was expecting, since I thought 99% of it would be Caan as Sheldon lying in bed in one room and Bates ...( read more)as Wilkes slowly torturing him. I really appreciated the addition of Sheldon's editor character played by Bacall and the small town sheriff and his wife played by Farnsworth and Sternhagen. They were all really nice touches for Goldman to add to King's story. I thought Farnsworth doing the detective work to find where Sheldon has gone missing gave an especially strong performance. Caan and Bates give wonderful performances too and make it easy to stay with them and want to find out what happens next through the length of the picture. There are several very funny moments, the suspense is built expertly, and a couple of big shocks might just make you jump out of your seat.
  • kitm2
    December 23, 2009
    kitm2
    its absolutely horrible
  • bristowgaze
    December 16, 2009
    bristowgaze
    Scary, nerve-racking movie that closely follows the book. Kathy Bates is awesome in this.
  • beccimoo
    December 9, 2009
    beccimoo
    Put the penguin back!!!
  • DrMaverickRanger
    December 7, 2009
    DrMaverickRanger
    WOW!
    I have never read the book, but I can imagine that the movie wasn't very different, as it offered all the psychological suspense inherent in a Stephen King novel.
    BRILLIANT performances by both crazy-ass Kathy Bates and the ever-awesome James Caan; and AWESOME direction by R...( read more)ob Reiner.
    Who says one needs a lot of blood and gore to make a good scary movie??? This is one of the most deeply disturbing films I have ever watched, and it employed hardly any cheap scare tactics, just fine holiday mindfuckery - AMAZING!!!
  • aizanwoo
    November 24, 2009
    aizanwoo
    based on Stephen King's..Misery...comes to life...finally..
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