(#7) Misery (1990) - [8/10]

A writer is rescued from a car crash by - unfortunately - his number one fan.

A best-selling novelist is on his way home after completing his latest book when he meets with a car accident. He is rescued by an obsessed fan, only to discover that he is her prisoner.

How would I describe this film in one word?

Frustrating.

Note Frustrating. That would be my single-worded sum up of this movie. Not in a negative way though, far from it.

Review

This is a movie about, Paul, a writer who is rescued from a car crash by - unfortunately - his number one fan. Unfortunately because regular fans are nice but hardcore fans are well, hardcore and this one... psychotic. She keeps in his house to get him back to full health, or so we thought. At first we are presented this wonderful adorably hospitable woman. But as the scene progresses, we find out that Annie has no intention of letting go of Paul. Eventually, Paul realises this and attempts in every way possible in his fragile condition to escape the hands of the psychopath. This movie would've been a lot more simpler had he not suffered leg injuries from the car crash like regular action movie stars, just jump out the window and make a run for the woods. But this is real and Rob Reiner wants to make you feel like this is an impossible situation and that's what makes this movie so frustrating, because his every frantic attempt to escape, he fails, and sometimes gets a horrific consequential action taken against him by Annie - yeah, that hammer scene! But that's what makes the end all so satisfying. There's a nice touch in the end where she is knocked at last by a statue of a pig. She has a pet pig named Misery named after her beloved character of Paul's books, Misery. Truly so satisfying. And it would've been so if it weren't for the electrifying performed from Kathy Bates who switches from the sweet hospitable woman to the psychopathic murderer. (Props to James Caan to who delivered a performance entirely facially without the bottom portion of his broken body.

RATING: 8/10

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Director: Rob Reiner Rated: R Runtime: 1 hr 47 min Genre: Drama, Thriller Starring: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth