As a longtime fan of Stephen King novels, I have sometimes been a bit disappointed,by how his work has translated to the movie screen. While there are a few notable exceptions to this, such as The Stand and IT, there have also been a few such as Cujo and Maximum Overdrive that have failed to deliver. They were absolutely horrible, and failed to bring Mr.Kings twisted writing style the gut wrenching horror that it truly deserves. One movie that delivered the goods was Misery, which stars Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes, and James Caan as Paul Sheldon.

James Caan is one my favorite actors, because he seems to be able to portray, characters that are good or evil with ease. It is not a stretch for him to play a gangster, police officer, or writer, as he did in this movie. He is famous writer Paul Sheldon in this production, and after finishing one of this "Misery" novels, he leaves his hotel in the middle of a snowstorm. As is the case with most writers, he is slightly eccentric, and crashes his old car in the middle of a snowbank. After he wakes up, he realizes that he's been helped by Annie Wilkes, who is a nurse that lives on the outskirts of town.

Kathy Bates has great talent, and portrays a character that first seems to have Mr.Sheldon well cared for, as she helps nurse him back to health. However, as the movie goes along, you realize how psychotic she is, and her obsession with Paul Sheldon is enough to scare an aspiring writer away from this career field. She keeps telling him "I'm your number one fan," and she can read long phrases from his novels without any effort from memory. Annie Wilkes snaps during several scenes, and these performances are incredible. Although I have always found Kathy Bates incredibly hot, I have to admit that this is her best work ever. She is seductive throughout the whole movie, and it was so enthralling to watch her snap Sheldon's ankles with a sledgehammer.

The acting is what makes this movie a classic, with Bates and Caan portraying characters that you can believe really do exist, much to your mental chagrin. You can empathize with Sheldon while he is helpless to the whims of a crazy person, while he sits in the bed injured, wondering if he's going to get out of the house alive. You admire his brilliance in hatching escape plans, and how he challenges Wilkes to a mental chess match to save himself from her fury. You go between feeling sorry for Annie Wilkes, to wondering how someone could get that crazy, and the scene where Sheldonfinds about her hospital work is nerve bending.

This is a great horror/suspense movie, and is one of my all time favorites. The plot is complete, with excellent dialogue, and the acting is incredible. If you want to see a movie that you will not forget, be sure to rent or buy Misery. You'll never think of swearing the same way, and you will realize that the penguin always points to the south. This is one of those few movies that will leave a permanent mark on your subconcious, and it might cause you to never drive in a snowstorm again as well.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age