Kathy Bates deservedly won an Oscar for her portrayal of the devoted "Misery" fan. Her swing from one emotion to another is believable, and terrifyingly real. She does a tremendous job of making her character seem like your average next door neighbor, then like your worst nightmare. James Caan is perfect as the writer held captive in the home of this obviously unbalanced woman. He portrays a breadth of emotion as he tries to cope with his captivity. From the apprehensive beginnings, to the desperate attempts at freedom, to his eventual courage to fight back. (I also love the casting of Richard Farnsworth as the local sheriff. Has he ever played a character you didn't like?)

Rob Reiner's direction is terrific and always keeps the action moving even in the most intricate of scenes. You can see that he let's both Caan and Bates play their respective roles, and move the film along like the consummate professionals they are. The screenplay adapted from King's novel is superb, and makes this movie a suspense classic. Of all of the Stephen King novels that have been turned into big screen features, this one is very true to the book, which is what gives it its intensity. If you have never seen this movie, you really should, and if you haven't seen it for a while pick up a copy. I bet it will still shock you.

They took a great novel (written by one of my favorite authors) and decided to make a movie about it. They decided to have James Caan (my favorite actor) and Kathy Bates (my favorite actress) star in it.

They stuck very closely to the plot and atmosphere of the novel.

Kathy Bates BECAME Annie Wilkes. You cannot ever read "Misery" without thinking of Kathy Bates. Rarely does anybody suit a role so perfectly.

Her psychotic Wilkes is not over the top nor understated. She plays the role just perfectly. She's completely mad but her insanity simmers beneath the surface.

The tension never lets up. Aside from the whimsical scenes between the local sherrif (the late Richard Farnsworth) and his wife (Frances Sternhagen), this film will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you haven't read the novel or heard about the plot, your nerves will be FRAYED by the end of this!

I'm not exaggerating. See for yourself. I HIGHLY recommend this film.

There's not too much I can say about this movie without giving away some of the plot. But when a movie contains only two actors and the setting for the entire movie is one house, and the movie is this good, you know you have something special. This is top-rate acting. You won't find any better than these two. It's a shame that Kathy Bates had to lower herself to the "Titanic" standards, but I guess the money was just irresistable. But anyway, "Misery" is one of the top 20 movies ever made. As far as suspense goes, it doesn't get any better than this.

Warning: Not for children under 16 or ANYONE with a weak stomach. This movie is excellent in its portrayal of the pain of real life. If you can't take it, don't watch it.