Needful Things

Name: Needful Things
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Fantasy, Horror, Crime
Released: August 27, 1993
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 43
Cast: Ed Harris, Max von Sydow

1993

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 18 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Ratings

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6.3

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6.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Ratings

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Needful Things

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Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: August 27, 1993 | R

Starring: Ed Harris, Max von Sydow

Summary: A mysterious new shop opens in a small town which always seems to stock the deepest desires of each shopper, with a price far heavier than expected.

Director: Fraser C. Heston

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Fantasy, Horror, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 120 min

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Critic Reviews

Staff (Not Credited)

Needful Things is the best Stephen King movie in years. It is, in a sense, a black comedy, but you have to be a little sick to laugh. I laughed. [27 Aug 1993, p.3F]

Time Out London Staff (Not Credited)

Better than most Stephen King adaptations, mainly because an exceptionally strong cast adds substance to the facile storyline about a mysterious stranger, Leland Gaunt (von Sydow), who opens the antique shop of the title in Castle Rock, Maine, and, by tapping into the inhabitants' acquisitive desires, sets them at one another's throats. Read full review

Michael Wilmington

It has ideas as well as jolts, themes as well as special effects, characters as well as gore. But, as adapted by writer W. D. Richter and director Fraser Heston, these Things seem disappointingly diminished, squeezed and stuffed into a box too small. Read full review

Jeff Shannon

If it weren't for a delicious performance by Max Von Sydow as the suavely genteel Satan incarnate, Needful Things would be merely another Stephen King novel turned into trash for indiscriminate moviegoers. [27 Aug 1993, p.D12]

Brian Lowry

Moviegoers aren’t likely to be similarly spellbound, as Heston employs a too-slow buildup to an explosion of mayhem that incorporates gruesome violence with awkward attempts at dark humor. Read full review

Janet Maslin

Though this is by no means the grisliest or most witless film made from one of Mr. King's horrific fantasies, it can lay claim to being the most unpleasant. Why? Because when you strip away the suspenseful buildup to a King story, you're often left with mechanical moralizing and crude, sophomoric small talk. Needful Things has more of both than any film could ever need. Read full review

Rick Groen

The message the movie preaches? The ills of a consumer society, I guess - all those needful things needlessly bought. And the best way to put that preaching into practice? Shut your wallet and pass on this little treat. [27 Aug 1993]

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User Reviews

Rcavey92212

Mar 25, 2020

This is usually a forgotten adaptation of Stephen King's books. Although I've never read the book I do really like the movie and consider it one of the best movies inspired by his work. The late and great Max Von Snydow (Exorcist) stars as pretty much the devil. A deceitful, manipulative manThis is usually a forgotten adaptation of Stephen King's books. Although I've never read the book I do really like the movie and consider it one of the best movies inspired by his work. The late and great Max Von Snydow (Exorcist) stars as pretty much the devil. A deceitful, manipulative man who opens up a antique shop in a small town that offers anyone who comes in exactly what they are looking for. But there is a price and in mist instances it seems like something inconsequential from breaking windows to writing fake tickets. But all of the actions have horrific consequences as arguments escalate leading to murder. Handsome Ed Neil, Amanda Plummer and Bonnie Bedelia also star. The movie has a dark sense of humor and the horror is playful and twisted. Although it seems that the people are easily manipulated I definitely think the movie expresses that something supernatural is at play. It's fun, weird and creepy so if you haven't seen it, it's definitely worth a watch.

Budget: N/A
Domestic Box Office: $15m
Worldwide Box Office: $15m

4/5… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Jun 19, 2019

This is one of the few novels of Stephen King that I haven't read and although I couldn't criticize it based on that because they are two very different media, I must honestly say that the results of this film doesn't leave me the best impression to read the novel.

I say this because itThis is one of the few novels of Stephen King that I haven't read and although I couldn't criticize it based on that because they are two very different media, I must honestly say that the results of this film doesn't leave me the best impression to read the novel.

I say this because it seemed like an empty story that doesn't manage to be terrifying or entertaining and that's a serious problem considering the film had the elements to be both and yet is unable to achieve it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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