SnoopyStyle
On an island in Maine, housekeeper Dolores Claiborne (Kathy Bates) is detained after her employer Vera Donovan falls to her death. The mailman stops Dolores before she smashes Vera's head in with a rolling pin. In NYC, Dolores' journalist daughter Selena St. George (Jennifer Jason Leigh) receives a mysterious fax with a news report about the incident. She returns to her hometown to help her mother. Dolores' abusive drunken husband Joe St. George (David Strathairn) is revealed in flashbacks.Kathy Bates is great once again in another adaptation of a Stephen King psychological thriller. There is nothing supernatural except for Bates' acting abilities. If there is a problem, it's a bit too long with so few thrilling moments. The reveals are terrific. Strathairn is a great villain. It would be better if the movie is tighter.
Kirpianuscus
she does one of the most seductive roles of her career. the entire dust and sand and fury and cold compassion and wise manner to define the events, the strange innocence and the form of angry are reflected in admirable manner. a film about justice. and survive. and an unique atmosphere. because it is one of the films who preserves in high manner the spirit of novel not only as adaptation but as the precise exploration of the small details who defines the force of the lines. a film about the struggle of a mother . and her strange victory. the landscapes, that Maine from the book,the dialogs, the special logic of Dolores are pillars of this film who has the rare gift to be a Stephen King in a not ordinary form of accuracy.
dal_asher
I saw this movie years ago and the story so intrigued me that I bought it on video. It's a story by Stephen King and although I'm not a fan of the science fiction he writes, his drama is always surprising. This does not disappoint. Kathy Bates as the abused wife who is accused of killing the wealthy woman she has cared for for many years, is a tour d'force. Jennifer Jason-Leigh is another who gives a wonderful performance as her daughter who returns reluctantly to help her estranged mother. She is convinced that her mother did this crime but decides she must delay her return to her high profile journalism job in order to find a lawyer for her mom. While in the process, all the family history comes to light with a dramatic climax. The telling of the family history and the story that unfolds is so well acted by Bates, Jason-Leigh and Christopher Plumber that I was sorely disappointed when this was overlooked by the Academy Awards. I've seen many movies staring Kathy Bates but in my opinion this was the best performance of her career. I felt that this certainly ranked higher than her performance in Misery. However, I understand that the subject matter of Misery was more commercial. I've seen this movie many times and I always have the same reaction - Kathy Bates is simply a great actress and this is a fantastic performance.
vincentlynch-moonoi
I usually don't review films that 100 or more people have already reviewed, but on rare occasions -- either because a film is exceptionally good or bad -- I make an exception. As I am doing here, for a film which is exceptionally good.Above all else, this film excels due to strong performances by an excellent cast. And at the top of the list is Kathy Bates. This was just one in a series of bravura performances by Bates in the 1990s, and she was at the top of her form here.I can't say that I enjoy Jennifer Jason Leigh in this film, but there's no denying her acting as the bitter now grown daughter was very good. Judy Parfitt, as the murder victim...or not, turns in a riveting performance, particularly the scenes where she subtly suggests murder and where she is an almost total invalid. Christopher Plummer, in a not so likable role as a police investigator, also posts a strong performance. This happened to be the first film in which I saw (or at least noticed) David Strathairn, here in a strong performance as the abusive husband.The script is also strong. I think flashbacks in films are overdone, but here they work well in relating what is a two-part story that ultimately centers around child molestation. Most of the photography is somewhat stark, but that works well for the story and the location; the photography during the eclipse is quite stunning.I rarely give an "8"; my rule for that is that it has to be something unique. This is a rather unique film, and I think one of the better translations of a Stephen King novel to the screen.Highly recommended.
AD
