Misery (1990)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jason O

  
  Wow, didn't know Kathy Bates had been acting this long....this and Dolores Claiborne are the best films I've seen her in...she's spectacular as the villain! James Caan is good also. Very suspenseful and full of thrills as you wonder if the famous author is ever going to… More
  Wow, didn't know Kathy Bates had been acting this long....this and Dolores Claiborne are the best films I've seen her in...she's spectacular as the villain! James Caan is good also. Very suspenseful and full of thrills as you wonder if the famous author is ever going to escape. I'm a huge fan of Stephen King movies, and this shot to near the top of the my best-of list the first time I saw it!

• Melvin W

  
  Annie Wilkes: Now the time has come. I put two bullets in my gun. One for me, and one for you. Oh darling, it will be so beautiful.  "Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. Now he's writing to stay alive." Every time I watch Misery, I like it more and more.… More
  Annie Wilkes: Now the time has come. I put two bullets in my gun. One for me, and one for you. Oh darling, it will be so beautiful.  "Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. Now he's writing to stay alive." Every time I watch Misery, I like it more and more. There's just so much talent involved here. First off, there's the source material from Stephen King. Misery is one of his finest stories. Then there's screenwriter William Goldman who does a good job of writing the story for the screen. Barry Sonnenfeld as cinematographer and of course Rob Reiner. Reiner knows how to make great adaptions of King's books; Stand By Me and Misery speak for themselves. And you can't forget about two stunning performances given by James Caan and Kathy Bates(who took home an Oscar for her psycho performance). There's just too much greatness for Misery to not be good. As in many of King's stories, the protagonist is a writer. This time he is actually a successful one to boot. He has a long running franchise of Misery books, and he's just finished his last one. He is deciding to move on from Misery and decides to kill her off. While driving home from his regular writing spot in Colorado; he gets into a blizzard and crashes. "Luckily" for him, a nice woman, who just happens to be his number one fan, pulls him from the wreckage and takes him home. At first she seems like the nicest woman in the world, but she has an angry side and quite a past as well. The movie works well in many genres. At times it is just a drama, then it's a thriller and it even has moments of pure horror. There are scenes of high tension. My favorite scene is where Annie leaves the house and Paul wheels himself around the house. As he explores, we see Annie getting closer and closer to home. What will happen? Well that is just part of that high tension. Misery is regarded as one of the best King adaptions ever, and that claim is totally justified. Through the picture perfect pacing and the magnificent performances, we are shown the true brilliance of King's story just about as well as it could have been done. Kathy Bates plays a mood swinging psychopath to perfection. Her fits of rage are simply astounding. Caan does a good job in performance, where for the most part, he is either laying on his back or sitting in a wheel chair at a typewriter.  While there's other King films I like more, this is still an all-time classic. Rich in character and in plot, it works like magic; putting in the viewer in the same helpless state that Paul is in. Misery is a must see.

• Eric A

  
  So one day I found Misery laying around the house, and had no clue what it was or what it was about. One of the best choices and discoveries i've ever made; what an awesome film, Kathy Bates is amazing.

• Brad W

  
  Misery is a stroke of pure horror genius. The plot is scary and keeps your attention the whole time. The cast is great, Kathy Bates is one of the greatest sociopaths performances ever. Misery is a great horror, and is one of the best horror films to this date.

• Zach B

  
  Stephen King. What can one say? He has had the most adaptions from his work, written countless novels, and even directed one film that was God Awful. But, on the adaptations, it is sad to say that most of them are just terrible (some exceptions include Carrie, The Shining, The Green… More
  Stephen King. What can one say? He has had the most adaptions from his work, written countless novels, and even directed one film that was God Awful. But, on the adaptations, it is sad to say that most of them are just terrible (some exceptions include Carrie, The Shining, The Green Mile, and The Shawshank Redeption). But, when it comes to the best, there is one that should always be on the list. This is that one film. Now, other then the aspects, there are two reasons why I say that this is one of the best adaptations of King's work. The first is that this film is scary as hell. I am not joking. Think about it like this: you are popular, all the ladies love you, but one kidnaps you and tortures you so you have to stay with her. With that in mind, this film become purely real to such a point that you feel sick due to one disturbing scene that works wonders in this film. The second reason is due to this film being, in all honesty, a love story. Not the traditional way that you find normally, but in the way that one person is in love with someone and willing to do anything for that person. In a way, the character of Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) is the perfect example of being love struck. She loves Paul Sheldon (James Caan) so much it is frightening. Now, enough of me talking, let's get to the basics. For the directing, Rob Reiner directs this film with such force you could swear that he was born for this film. Well, he did direct such films as Stand By Me (Another adaption of a King story), The American President, and The Princess Bride, so he does have a lot of great talent with this film as he brings the characters to life. For acting, the most anyone can talk about is Caan and Bates with them being the only two characters we see the majority of the time. Now, there is only one person I need to talk about and that is Kathy Bates. All I can say is that she is scary as hell in this role. She makes every celebrities nightmare come true and her performance is worthy of her Academy Award she won. Acting is, overall, impressive. For the screenplay, about 80% takes place between both Caan and Bates and the scenes and dialogue is all brilliant and natural. It is hard to find a script that is this good and, for this film, it is needed. Finally the score. This being an early work done by Marc Shaiman, I am guessing that I will excuse the low quality of the score. Now, Marc is great at composing award winning scores (i.e. South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut), but this one is just not memorable at all. Kind of disappointing. But, at least there are other factors that make it all up. Overall, this is a scare film that, for once, has great performances.

• Unknown H

  
  Although as a die hard Stephen King fan I felt this movie was lacking in a lot of what made the book so scary, I think for the time it was made it delivered superbly. One of my all time favourite books and I can happily say well up there in my list of favourite movies. I would also… More
  Although as a die hard Stephen King fan I felt this movie was lacking in a lot of what made the book so scary, I think for the time it was made it delivered superbly. One of my all time favourite books and I can happily say well up there in my list of favourite movies. I would also like to add that you have never seen excruciating pain acted as superbly as it is in this bad boy! Ouch!

• Manu G

  
  Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. Now, he's writing to stay alive. Great movie! The story was very good and disturbing. From now on every time I see Kathy Bates on a film I'll remember her from this movie. She acted so well and psychotic that she won the Oscar for… More
  Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. Now, he's writing to stay alive. Great movie! The story was very good and disturbing. From now on every time I see Kathy Bates on a film I'll remember her from this movie. She acted so well and psychotic that she won the Oscar for Best Actress in 1991. I was very impress how she took it to another level completely. Kathy Bates can go from nice and cheerful to downright crazy like someone turning on a light switch. While watching James Caan suffer through the torture that Bates puts him through, you can't help but sympathize with the guy. Rob Reiner presents us with the problem, and he slowly escalates the tension and the dread that creeps over the movie. Great movie from Rob Reiner. In this darkly humorous thriller, James Caan portrays Romantic novelist Paul Sheldon, famously renowned for his trademark character, the film's namesake 'Misery' Chastaine. shortly after finishing his latest book, he drives of back to New York from the Silver Creek lodge. After a while, his car swerves off the icy road in a blizzard. In the car, he has a flashback in which he is talking to his agent (portrayed by Lauren Bacall) about his last Misery book. He is rescued by nurse Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) who takes him back to her house for two days and reveales that she is his number one fan, hence the infamous quote "I'm your number one fan". When Annie asks if she can read his new book (in manuscript form) she proves to be more than a little eccentric when she lashes out in a fit of rage over the swearing in his book. When she leaves the room he seems fraked out and looks like he wants to leave quickly. The next day, Annie brings home a copy of the final Misery book and over the days reveals how many pages she has read. During which, she introuces him to her pet sow, Misery. The following night, she nearly kills him over the fact that he has killed Misery in his final book, tells him that she never called the local hospital (which she said she had) and threatens to kill him if anything happens to her. He immediately tries to escape but fails. The next day, Annie seems happy and tries to persuade him to burn the manuscript to which he seems reluctant. Later, she reveals she wants him to write a new book in which Misery comes back to life. When he sees a hairpin on the floor, he has an idea to buy time, he asks Annie to buy some different paper because his current paper smudges, to which she responds with another fit of rage. Whilst she is out shopping, Paul uses the hairpin to unlock his bedroom door and escape. However, he soon finds out that the front door is locked as well. He makes a visit to her living room and medicine closet. In the living room he accidentally knocks a small ceramic penguin off the table and puts it back the wrong way (this will become important later). He also realises that Annie's phone is a fake one, cancelling his chances of contacting the outside world. In the medicine closet, he takes some of the pills the Annie had been giving him for his fracture. He also tries to escape through her back door in the kitchen but cannot open it (I forgot to mention that he was bedridden for a few days and currently in a wheelchair). Soon, he hears Annie returning and immediately races back to his room. Fortunately, he gets back to his room in time just when she opens the door. She gets him back into bed and gives him a notepad and his pills (which he pretends to swallow). The following night, he saves up a lot of powder from the pills. In the morning, an argument starts between Paul and Annie about the book, which escalates into a humorous fit of rage about her growing up in Bakersfield watching chapter plays. Meanwhile, the local authorities find Sheldon's '65 Mustang buried in the snow. When Annie reads some of Paul's new manuscript she responds happily. Paul requsts that Annie have dinner with him to celebrate Misery's return. At the dinner, Paul makes a toast to Misery's return but asks if she has any candles. Whilst Annie is looking for them, Paul puts the powder in her wine. When she returns she almost makes the toast but drops her drink in the process, ruining Paul's plan. The next scene shows a line of clips of Paul writing the book. In the last clip, Annie gives him his pills and talks about committing suicide. When she leaves the house, he goes out of his room again and reads her scrapbook. It includes many newspaper clippings, revealing that she killed her father, her college roommate and many patients in hospitals. He grabs a knife from the kitchen and wheels himself to his room. Later, he awakens to the sight of Annie as she forcibly sedates him. In the morning, she ties him to the bed and reveals that she knows that he has been out of his room (the scrapbook, the ceramic penguin, the hairpin). Then, she 'hobbles' him (puts a block of wood betwen his feet and hits them with a sledgehammer) In the next scene, 'Buster' the local sheriff sees an emotional outburst in the town and researches her history. Later, he pays a visit to her house to look around. When he leaves, he hears a noise and goes back inside to find Paul in the basement and is shot by Annie. When she says she wants to kill him then herself, he requests finishing the book first. later, he is writing the book and requests 3 things: a cigarette, matches, and Dom Perignon champagne. When Annie returns, he also requests two glasses. whilst she is out of the room, he pours flammable liquid onto the manuscript and burns it, which escalates into a brawl resulting in Annie's death. 18 months later, Paul is seen in a restaurant with his agent, refusing to write a book about his experiences. He mistakes a waitress for Annie in a haunting vision as she repeats Annie's line: "I'm your number one fan".

• Jennifer X

  
  I think the book was better, but Kathy Bates does a sharp job looking all menacing and everything.

• AJ V

  
  An absolutely brilliant Stephen King movie to start off the 90s. The acting is perfect, the story is both suspenseful and scary, and Reiner just did a fantastic job with this movie. It's a classic, I highly recommend it.

• ♥Robyn

  
  Rob Reiner did an amazing job with this movie !! James Caan, plays the part of the tortured writer,Paul Sheldon,whos car goes off the road,where he would of been left to die,if he had not been rescued by his biggest fan Annie,played by Kathy Bates,who plays such a completely… More
  Rob Reiner did an amazing job with this movie !! James Caan, plays the part of the tortured writer,Paul Sheldon,whos car goes off the road,where he would of been left to die,if he had not been rescued by his biggest fan Annie,played by Kathy Bates,who plays such a completely believable part as the psychotic obsessed fan of his. Misery is a chilling thriller which kept me glued to my seat !! loved it!!!

• Spencer S

  
  Stephen King...what more can I say? He's a genius, and this time there's so much to fear you won't know where to start. The script, which jumps off the page to astound and scare, has been crafted around Caan and Bates, who deliver again and again. From pleading with the… More
  Stephen King...what more can I say? He's a genius, and this time there's so much to fear you won't know where to start. The script, which jumps off the page to astound and scare, has been crafted around Caan and Bates, who deliver again and again. From pleading with the demented fan, to trying to save his own life, Caan is sensational. Don't get me started on Bates, there's not enough time.

• Chris W

  
  This came out when Rob Reiner was still making some movies that were actually worthwhile. The story is simple enough, with the action being confined to an isolated, remote location. This is good because it causes tension and sets up a nice claustrophobic tone. The risky part is that… More
  This came out when Rob Reiner was still making some movies that were actually worthwhile. The story is simple enough, with the action being confined to an isolated, remote location. This is good because it causes tension and sets up a nice claustrophobic tone. The risky part is that because of the setting, and the fact that the film focuses almost entirely on two people is that, if the performances fail, the film fails. Thankfully, that's not the case here. Caan is good, and he has good chemistry with Bates, but this is her movie. Her performances is fucking fantastic, and it ranks high up on the lsit of great cinematic villains. One minute she's comforting and nice, the next minute she's a goddamn demon. Even when she's nice there is an undeniable feeling of dread lurking beneath the surface. One of the best adaptations of a King work (and pretty faithful too).

• Jeff "

  
  Misery is a terrific horror film. Based on the Stephen king novel of the same, the film follows closely the story of the novel, and it's well adapted from the novel. James Caan is excellent as Paul Sheldon, the imprisoned author held captive by Annie Wilkes played by Kathy Bates.… More
  Misery is a terrific horror film. Based on the Stephen king novel of the same, the film follows closely the story of the novel, and it's well adapted from the novel. James Caan is excellent as Paul Sheldon, the imprisoned author held captive by Annie Wilkes played by Kathy Bates. Both are superb in their respective roles, and Kathy Bates does bring a certain style to the role, she is very convincing and creepy. Misery is a terrific horror film with plenty of suspense and chills. It boasts a strong cast and is one of the best Stephen King adaptations ever. A terrific film from start to finish, Misery will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat til the end. An awesome, thrilling horror film not to be missed.

• Conner R

  
  Not nearly as impressive as people claim, it's not exactly as suspenseful or terrifying as the book. It's way too visually descriptive and dramatized to be up there with something like Carrie or The Shining. Part of that goes to the fact that Rob Reiner is not a horror… More
  Not nearly as impressive as people claim, it's not exactly as suspenseful or terrifying as the book. It's way too visually descriptive and dramatized to be up there with something like Carrie or The Shining. Part of that goes to the fact that Rob Reiner is not a horror director and just wasn't a good choice to bring this to life. What really makes this a worthwhile and interesting movie are the performances from James Caan and Kathy Bates.

• Candy R

  
  'I'm your number one fan', you think a famous novelist would like to here that. Not Paul who crashes his car in a snow storm and ends but being rescued and imprisoned by his number one fan. He discovers that she is a qualified nurse who was jailed for killing infants.… More
  'I'm your number one fan', you think a famous novelist would like to here that. Not Paul who crashes his car in a snow storm and ends but being rescued and imprisoned by his number one fan. He discovers that she is a qualified nurse who was jailed for killing infants. He tries to escape but is crippled. Excellent thriller about a crazy fan who makes her novelist re-write stories to her liking. Can't watch the sledge hammer scene!

• Film C

  
  This id an intriguing movie thats entertaining to watch, not for the light hearted as there is some cringe moments that will shock you realy A good movie and really worth a watch!

• Lewis C

  
  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… More
  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 deranged 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.

• Wahida K

  
  As said before never read a book written by Stephen King, <i>That is why they are so kind to make movies</i> Great Classic

• Dan S

  
  A suspenseful, gritty, dark film that will send shivers down your spine. Kathy Bates gives a monstrous performance, and Caan is quietly brilliant. While parts of the story take some patience, the ending is brutally realistic and effectively creepy.

• Anthony L

  
  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!

Read all 20 featured audience ratings