Misery

Name: Misery
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: November 30, 1990
Duration: 107 min
Rating: 75
Cast: James Caan, Kathy Bates

1990

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 98 Ratings

See All

8.4

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8.4	Your Score
8.4	User Score Universal acclaim based on 98 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Misery

Now Playing: Misery

Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: November 30, 1990 | R

Starring: James Caan, Kathy Bates

Summary: After a famous author is rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels, he comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.

Director: Rob Reiner

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 107 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Mick LaSalle

In a way, Misery is a ghoul comedy. But it's more than that, because it's genuinely, consistently scary. With his enthusiastic direction -- the cutting, the odd angles, the unexpected timing -- Rob Reiner takes what might have been a static set-up, a couple of people talking in a room, and makes it harrowing. [30 Nov 1990, p.E1]

100

Richard Schickel

The actors are supported by the best kind of writerly craft and directorial technique, the kind that refuses to call attention to itself, never gets caught straining for scares or laughs. Popular moviemaking -- elegantly economical, artlessly artful -- doesn't get much better than this. Read full review

Jay Scott

It does what it desires to do - it suspensefully squeezes the sweat out of the pores - but the salty stench it leaves behind in the persona of Annie Wilkes is a residue that transcends its intentions. [30 Nov 1990]

Jay Boyar

Misery is one of the best movies made from a Stephen King story. [30 Nov 1990, p.6]

Jay Carr

Two scenes in Misery are shockingly brutal. But many more are wickedly amusing - especially the ones stemming from the fact that no small part of the writer's torture is the way his deranged muse uses language. There's something simultaneously comical and scary about the way Bates employs euphemisms to keep the lid on. [30 Nov 1990, p.29p]

Dave Kehr

Like any good work of popular culture, Rob Reiner's film of Stephen King's best-selling book Misery functions on more than one level. Read full review

Rita Kempley

A weak handshake of a movie, it is slightly repellent -- hardly gripping, much less knuckle-whitening. This "Psycho" for fatsos is as self-aware as it is styleless. Read full review

SEE ALL 23 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

Everybody-

Jun 9, 2020

The most intense thriller I've ever seen, I thought I was going to have a heart attack, a masterpiece in it's genre and one of the very best films I've ever made in my opinion.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Tsareena

Oct 14, 2017

An amazing movie. You can feel the terror the author felt for most of the movie thanks to the beautiful score and Kathy Bate's stellar acting in this. A classic thriller that didn't need twists to keep me on the edge of my seat

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

Tomtag

May 6, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Misery (1990) is a psychological horror film based on another Stephen King’s 1987 novel with same name. I don’t really call this a horror movie because it’s not scary but it’s more like a thriller, there’s drama. It was directed by Rob Reiner, who had also directed A Few Good Men (1992), Shock and Awe (2017), The Princess Bride (1987) and the screenplay was written by an author William Goldman, who had written novels like The Princess Bride in 1973, which was transferred into a movie in 1987 also directed by Rob Reiner, Which Lie Did I Tell?, … It’s about a psychotic fan who holds an author captive and forces him to write her stories. There was James Caan as the author, Paul Sheldon, who wrote romance novels about a character called Misery Chastain, when he had an accident, he was carried to someone else’s house. It was revealed that the house belonged to his number 1 fan, Annie Wilkes played by Kathy Bates, who won an Oscar for Best Actress in 1991. She acted exactly how the number 1 fan in this film should be like: psychotic, crazy, insane and sometimes can be like an a-hole. I hate her but she’s well-acted and well-developed thanks to Bates. Caan did a well job too. I was just disappointed that he wasn’t even nominated for Best Actor in 1991. Barry Sonnenfeld was really good with the cinematography. It was kinda old-school and also suitable for a 90s thriller. I also like the story though I haven’t read the book yet. I was really surprised when Sheldon read the red book filled with newspapers and found out that Wilkes was a nurse murderer and killed many patients and the only jump scare I saw was when Buster, the local sheriff was shot by Wilkes with the rifle when he found out that Paul Sheldon was locked in a room or a cellar maybe? And also it’s just a story, why did Wilkes had to scream so bad about a character’s death? That’s just annoying! The original score was okay though, Marc Shaiman was okay as well. I didn’t care about the score much in this film because I didn’t hear the music much, I just care about the screenplay and Goldman wrote it excellently. I like it even though I saw a few sentences were a bit too easy. Misery isn’t really a horror movie, it’s just a drama and thriller which had blood in there. There wasn’t much scare but it was a really good movie. Stephen King wrote the plot really well, Reiner directed excellently, the score was played okay, the cinematography was also well-shot by Sonnenfeld and more… Caan and Bates were perfect for these roles making this movie one of the greatest Stephen King’s adaptation. My Ratings: 9.15/10… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Computey18

Mar 3, 2023

One of the best Stephen King Film Adaptations ever made onto this earth!!!!!!1

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

akshatmahajan

Aug 9, 2021

To be honest, I got to know about this movie on twitter. I decided to watch it and after watching it, I thought why people don't talk about this movie anymore. It looks like people have forgotten about this movie.

Movie was very nicely made. The main leads did a brilliant job, especiallyTo be honest, I got to know about this movie on twitter. I decided to watch it and after watching it, I thought why people don't talk about this movie anymore. It looks like people have forgotten about this movie.

Movie was very nicely made. The main leads did a brilliant job, especially Kathy Bates. She did her role so perfectly, it felt as if this role was meant for her only. You will start hating her character, which is meant to be hated and will start getting afraid of her whenever her scene comes. The story was taken from Stephen King's novel and I think they did decent job in adapting it. The direction was good but felt weak in some parts. The pacing and environment setting was spot on.

Overall, this movie should be given a try. I think it's too much underrated and it deserves to reach wider audience.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEROJ

Jan 2, 2019

With some exceptions - i think "Misery" is a very well-made movie with good story, great acting and script. It had it all. I think i'll watch it again someday

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

imthenoob

Nov 8, 2018

Bates did a great job as Annie but I wasn't a fan of the whole sub-plot with the Sheriff because that took the focus away from Paul and his increasingly dire situation. Also, I felt that Paul's portrayal wasn't really on par with what could have been. Not saying that Caan did a bad job, HeBates did a great job as Annie but I wasn't a fan of the whole sub-plot with the Sheriff because that took the focus away from Paul and his increasingly dire situation. Also, I felt that Paul's portrayal wasn't really on par with what could have been. Not saying that Caan did a bad job, He was fine, but I felt that the character was just poorly written and it wasn't until the very end where we see that mental anguish that was missing for most of the movie.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

SEE ALL 16 REVIEWS