Viewed in
2012
Formats
HDTV
Premise
James Caan plays a famous novelist who finds himself stuck in the house of a nurse, Kathy Bates, who happens to be his "number one fan". Based on the Stephen King book.
Loved
Bates and Caan, the escalating suspense.
Liked
Richard Farnsworth and Frances Sternhagen.
Thoughts
Good grief, was this intense.
Even though I knew plenty about the premise and the story itself, including key scenes, I was still on the edge of my seat, thanks to the great lead actors, and taught directing by Rob Reiner.
I will probably run out of adjectives to compliment Bates' scary, haunting performances. She was just bad news, regardless if she was over-the-top insane or creepy super-sweet. It's arguable that Annie Wilkes belongs in the Top Three pantheon of greatest psychos, along with Norman Bates and Sir Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter.
What doesn't get enough praise is James Caan. He's not just some stiff in a wheelchair being terrorized. He lent an equally powerful presence that makes you feel every painstaking attempt to escape this hell. Granted it's been a while since I've seen The Godfather, but this was probably his greatest film.
One thing I didn't expect was some really fun comic relief from Richard Farnsworth and Frances Sternhagen as the lovable sheriff and deputy. Their relationship was a cool contrast to what was happening in the main plot.
Reiner nailed the nail-biting sequences. The action was clear and the suspense was torturous (in a good way). I wanted to squirm with Caan as he literally attempted to crawl his way out of the house. And I cringed every time he injured himself. The cobbling scene was one of those that every film buff knows about, so I knew it was coming. But even with that preparation, the execution was so flawless that it was still amazing and enjoyable (from a horror standpoint).
If I had to nitpick, it would be that Bates' over-the-top moments felt a bit unrealistic in the current sensibilities about insanity. Her outbursts almost felt more "stage play" like.
Despite the test of time and endless hype, Misery held up extremely well thanks to timeless performances by Bates and Caan. In fact, it hardly felt outdated because it was clearly set in the 1980's so the lack of internet of cell phones (which would've severely negated this story) felt like a period piece.
