Customer Reviews
So much fun - By: B. W. Jenner, 05 Oct 2008 
I know Kathy Bates from Six Feet Under - she's superb in this film. Endearing & terrifying in equal measure. I didn't know what to expect from this film, but after the first few minutes I was hooked, & throughout I admired the twists & macabre turns.
It reminded me about the disturbing elements to hero worship & the bossiness of a certain type of woman. The best thing about it is the careful balance between horror & great comedy.
My Favourite Stephen King Adaptation - By: Langdon Ulder, 23 Aug 2008 
Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is a writer who has just finished his latest novel. While driving down from the mountains in a snow storm, he crashes & blacks out. He is rescued by Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) & wakes up in a bedroom in her house.
Paul is relieved that he was found & he is OK but gets slighty uncomfortable after Annie loses her temper over Paul's latest book. From here, Annie turns into a complete psychopath & what we see are some of the most disturbing & horrifying images ever put on screen.
I think that Misery is the best Stephen King novel & best film adaptation, both the film & book, 5 stars.
great - but not quite so good as the novel - By: Hannah Brower, 17 Jun 2008 I first watched this movie a few years ago now, & loved it. Kathy Bates shines as Annie Wilkes, while James Caan is also good as writer Paul Sheldon. The director has created a thrilling, suspenseful film that keeps you watching to the very end.
However, last week I decided to read the book for the first time & this has ruined the magic of the film slightly for me. The book is simply fantastic. It is a lot darker & more vivid than the film, especiallly in the 'hobbling' scene, which is different to that featured in the movie.
I would advise people to watch the film before they read the book, because if you do it in reverse order, the film does not live up to the wonder of the novel. But alll in alll, it is still a strongly recommended movie.
No Misery here!!! - By: Jon Shipton, 08 Mar 2008 This is one amazing movie.
I think the best 'King'-novel-to-film adaptaion that has been done.
This came along at a time when James Caan needed a hit as he was just out of rehab'. Luckily for us he pulls it off perfectly, & delivers a brilliant compeling performance. But by anyone's measure; Kathy Bates delivers an absolutely stellar performance as the deranged 'Annie Wilkes'.
Some people have commented that there are bits missing from the book, true, but what is left here is 1st class.
With oscar winning performances, & a tight script plus one of the best (if not THE best) female leads ever; this is one to keep & watch again & again.
"...my little ceramic penguin in the study always faces due south." - By: DangermouseZilla, 02 Nov 2007 The film (based on the Stephen King novel) has a plot so simple, it's brilliant.
Paul Sheldon, an author of a popular series of books has a car accident, he is rescued by his "Number one fan", Annie Wilkes who takes him back to her house in order to nurse him better. He has two broken legs & is thankful of the assistance.
However, his rescuer starts to show signs of obsessive mania & imprisons him after reading what is to be the last book in his `Misery' series which he has with him. He kills off a major character & Annie seems to have blurred views of reality & fiction. She accuses him of murder & forces him to write another novel to keep the series alive.
She constantly reminds him that she is his number one fan, & that she is there to help him. She continues to hold him captive & the film has a fantasticallly claustrophobic feel to it. Whilst she is out he manages to escape & get out of his room. He manages to sneak back in time before Annie gets back in, however, in a perfect example of her obsessiveness; Annie notices that an ornament is facing the wrong way & realises he must have been in the house.
What then follows is the scene the film is most remembered for, a rather gruesome act designed to prevent Paul from escaping. I won't give away what happens, but when I watched it I had a pot on my leg for a fractured ankle & it made me go numb!
The performance from Kathy Bates famously won her an Oscar. She was an unknown actress at the time, but played the part so well that it has been lampooned many times since, you can't imagine anyone else as Annie. She manages to put across the childlike mind of Annie so well, which is the main reason the film is so unforgettable.
Seasoned actor James Caan also gave a great portrayal of Paul. His career was gaining something of a comeback status after a dark period in his life during the `80s. Like Kathy Bates, he won numerous awards for his role in Misery, & well deserved they were.
This is a classic film with a unique feel, the smalll cast & the high tension will glue you to the screen.
