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Misery

  • 1990
  • 12
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
252K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,764
90
Misery (1990)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer2:15
8 Videos
99+ Photos
Psychological DramaPsychological ThrillerDramaThriller

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.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.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
  • Writers
    • Stephen King
    • William Goldman
  • Stars
    • James Caan
    • Kathy Bates
    • Richard Farnsworth
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    252K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,764
    90
    • Director
      • Rob Reiner
    • Writers
      • Stephen King
      • William Goldman
    • Stars
      • James Caan
      • Kathy Bates
      • Richard Farnsworth
    • 541User reviews
    • 156Critic reviews
    • 75Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 6 wins & 10 nominations total

    Videos8

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:15
    Official Trailer
    Misery | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:19
    Misery | Anniversary Mashup
    Misery | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:19
    Misery | Anniversary Mashup
    Misery: Nobody Knows You're Here
    Clip 4:19
    Misery: Nobody Knows You're Here
    Misery: It's For The Best
    Clip 3:26
    Misery: It's For The Best
    Misery: Annie Buys the Wrong Paper
    Clip 2:30
    Misery: Annie Buys the Wrong Paper
    Misery: Annie Confronts Paul
    Clip 1:52
    Misery: Annie Confronts Paul

    Photos476

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    Top cast18

    Edit
    James Caan
    James Caan
    • Paul Sheldon
    Kathy Bates
    Kathy Bates
    • Annie Wilkes
    Richard Farnsworth
    Richard Farnsworth
    • Buster
    Frances Sternhagen
    Frances Sternhagen
    • Virginia
    Lauren Bacall
    Lauren Bacall
    • Marcia Sindell
    Graham Jarvis
    Graham Jarvis
    • Libby
    Jerry Potter
    • Pete
    Thomas Brunelle
    • Anchorman
    • (as Tom Brunelle)
    June Christopher
    June Christopher
    • Anchorwoman
    Julie Payne
    • Reporter #1
    Archie Hahn
    Archie Hahn
    • Reporter #2
    • (as Archie Hahn III)
    Gregory Snegoff
    Gregory Snegoff
    • Reporter #3
    Wendy Bowers
    • Waitress
    Misery the Pig
    Misery the Pig
    • Self
    John Michael Quinn
    • Restaurant Patron
    • (uncredited)
    Rob Reiner
    Rob Reiner
    • Helicopter Pilot
    • (uncredited)
    J.T. Walsh
    J.T. Walsh
    • State Trooper Sherman Douglas
    • (uncredited)
    Jay Dee Witney
    Jay Dee Witney
    • News Photographer
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Rob Reiner
    • Writers
      • Stephen King
      • William Goldman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews541

    7.8251.9K
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    Featured reviews

    8lukehiggs

    This movie is brilliant and brutal.

    So after a lot of years of watching horror movies and loving horror movie adaptations of Stephen king books, i realised i had never watched Misery, after watching it i realised i should have took the time to watch it many years ago.

    The story is about a writer who having finished a book decides to return home, but on his return he has a accident and is rescued by his number one fan after that things take a dark twist while he is trying to recover from the accident, the story in this film is brilliant and gripping, you are always on edge of your seat wanting the main character to succeed its very believable which makes you fully emerged in the film.

    The acting in this is brilliant and makes this film stand out, James Caan and Kathy bates are so believable, you genuinely hate but want to understand Kathy Bates's character and you are constantly behind James Caans character wanting him to succeed.

    A great movies for horror and Thriller fans, Worth a watch to anyone who's interested in either genre.
    8bart-680

    Simplest movies are the best!

    This movie is truly one of the greatest horror movies out there. Simply because its so streightforward and kathy bates performance in it was truly incredible. The story follows a writer who is driving home (james caan) in a blizard and his car is overturned in the snow and he is taken into care by his number one fan as she says (kathy bates) but she is abit more sinister than she first appears. I enjoyed this so much have seen it a few times. James caan was good but kathy bates really gets my vote fantastic horror
    7Movieguyccbbaa

    I love the novel but i appreciate the movie too

    The movie was pretty good, it didn't go by very fast, it was patient with things, there are a lot of details missed in the movie which is understandable but the actors make the movie worth watching. Annie Wilkes and Paul Sheldon are portrayed greatly by both the actress/actor.

    A good watch.
    8sngbrd39

    Don't EVER have a Number 1 fan...

    Horror movies generally aren't my cup of tea, but people have always talked about how great Misery is. So I decided to give it a look when it came on TV today. All I can say is that I was definitely not disappointed; this was an amazing movie.

    Misery is the story of writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan), who is driving through a snowstorm after just having finished his newest novel. The car crashes, and it seems that Paul will die, trapped in his car in the snow in a deserted forest, when he is rescued by a mysterious stranger. She turns out to be Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), a former nurse who dresses his wounds and gives him a comfortable bed. In addition, it turns out that Annie is Paul's self-proclaimed Number 1 Fan. Specifically, she is obsessed with the Misery Chastain series, Paul's major claim to fame. Annie keeps Paul in an isolated room for days, then weeks, as the outside world searches for him. Eventually, when Annie objects to the content of Paul's latest manuscript, and when she has a hysterical reaction to the death of Misery in the latest novel, Paul (and the audience) come to see that there may be something wrong with Annie.

    Caan and Bates were absolutely stunning in their performances. The vast majority of this movie focused on them, so it was crucial that they both be able to convey the sense that something horrific was going on. It was no surprise that Kathy Bates won the Best Actress Oscar for her role. Everything in this movie really worked to show just how trapped Paul was, and how hopeless his situation seemed. And of course, this movie left a few indelible images in the mind. (One in particular comes to mind, and I really wish that I hadn't seen that scene previously on some other TV show; that almost took away from the impact of seeing it in context.) So, if you are a fan of suspenseful fare, or you just want to see a horror movie (mostly) sans blood and guts, Misery is for you. You will never, ever want to hear anyone say that they're a fan of yours again.
    9notoriousCASK

    One of the best thrillers of the 90's.

    Misery is without a doubt one of the finest movies of the 90's and one of the best movies in the thriller genre. It is an ingeniously crafted horror masterpiece that seamlessly intertwines its incredibly tense and cleverly paced story with inventive cinematography, tight editing and exquisite performances. In my opinion Misery is one of the better adaptations of Stephen King's works and truly a movie that cannot be missed, especially for the genre fans.

    Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is the author of a successful series of romance novels about a character called Misery, who decides to take a more serious approach regarding his future novels. On his way to publish his new manuscript, Paul drives from his hotel in Silver Creek to New York. Due to the extreme weather conditions, he has an accident that leaves him severely injured and hopeless. A local nurse named Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) finds Paul and brings him to her remote home in order to help him recover. Claiming to be his number one fan, Annie discovers that in his last Misery novel her favorite character dies and then her obsession about him takes a dark and twisted turn as a long story of captivity and abuse begins.

    The direction by Rob Reiner is phenomenal and on a Hitchcockian level as the film has a plethora of perfectly crafted suspenseful moments that have the audience on the edge of their seats from the beginning till the amazing climax. The editing of the movie is also flawless, as the shots are specifically designed to induce tension in any moment they can. The cinematographer and Reiner both ace the perilous atmosphere of the picture, using close up shots of the moonfaced Wilkes both in her fits of rage and kindness which magnifies the polar extremes that Wilkes is prone to unexpectedly visit. What is also triumphed is the slow convergence of the audience and Paul Sheldon. The movie received a lot of critical acclaim, especially due to Kathy Bates' chilling and memorable performance as Anny Wilkes that earned her the 1990's leading actress Oscar award, which remains the only Oscar ever given to a Stephen King film adaptation. No matter how great Kathy Bates' Oscar-winning performance is, James Caan's cannot go unnoticed as it definitely qualifies as one of the best performances in his extensive career, despite how demanding and challenging his role as Paul Sheldon was.

    In conclusion, Misery is a dark and tense masterpiece that is an amalgamation of excellent direction, skillful writing, taut editing, amazing cinematography and stellar performances, which succeeds into creating the feeling of captivity and helplessness that the thriller genre was purposefully built for, and that makes it one of the best movies of the 90's and one absolute classic in its genre.

    Stephen King Movies Ranked by IMDb Rating

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    Production art
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Stephen King was quite impressed with Kathy Bates' performance in this film, so much so that he later wrote two more roles for her. The title role in his novel "Dolores Claiborne" was written with Bates in mind, and Bates later starred in the film adaption of Dolores Claiborne (1995). King also wrote the script for the TV mini-series Le Fléau (1994). His original novel featured a (male) character named Ray Flowers; upon hearing that Bates wanted to be involved in the miniseries, King re-wrote the part as a woman (Rae Flowers) just so Bates could play the part (uncredited).
    • Goofs
      When Paul takes the knife out of his arm sling there is the sound of the knife brushing against metal.
    • Quotes

      Paul Sheldon: You want it? You want it? Eat it! Eat it till ya choke, you sick, twisted fuck!

    • Crazy credits
      Misery the Pig - Herself
    • Alternate versions
      The France / United Kingdom Region 2 DVD and Region 4 Australia / New Zealand DVD is is missing the line "You crazy bitch!"
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: 3 Men and a Little Lady/The Nutcracker Prince/Predator 2/Mr. And Mrs. Bridge (1990)
    • Soundtracks
      Shotgun
      Performed by Jr. Walker and the All Stars (as Junior Walker & The Allstars)

      Courtesy of Motown Record Company, L.P.

      Written by Junior Walker (as Autry DeWalt)

      Published by Stone Agate Music

      A division of Jobete Music Co., Inc.

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    FAQ

    • How long is Misery?
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    • Is "Misery" based on a book?
    • I'm confused about "Misery's Child" and the book Annie makes Paul burn. Are they the same?
    • Is Novril a real medication?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 13, 1991 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Miseria
    • Filming locations
      • Genoa, Nevada, USA
    • Production companies
      • Castle Rock Entertainment
      • Nelson Entertainment
      • Nelson Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $61,276,872
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $10,076,834
      • Dec 2, 1990
    • Gross worldwide
      • $61,277,597
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 47 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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