By Robert Scucci
| Published
The four most terrifying words that any public figure could possibly hear are “I’m your biggest fan,” and the 1990 film adaptation of Stephen King’s Misery is one of the best examples of how an unhealthy obsession can spiral into something far more sinister. While most psychological horror stories these days tend to place focus on an unreliable protagonist facing some sort of alleged demonic possession, Misery is cut from an entirely different cloth because we’re dealing with a level-headed author who’s held against his will by a crazed fan who’s so hopelessly infatuated with him that there’s very little room for interpretation.
But make no mistake, as bare-bones and straight-forward as Misery may seem at first blush, it holds up over 30 years later because of how convincingly this dynamic is acted out by its lead stars, James Caan and Kathy Bates.
An Effective Thriller With Zero Fat
At face-value, Misery is a simple story that’s enhanced by the complexity of its primary antagonist, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), a reclusive woman who claims to be author Paul Sheldon’s (James Caan) number one fan.
Paul Sheldon, who’s relieved to be finished with the eponymous best-selling romance series so he can pursue other literary projects, gets into a near-fatal car crash, but only before getting “rescued” by Annie.
As Paul is nursed back to health in Misery, he learns that not only is Annie a deranged fan who has been stalking him for some time, but she also has plans to keep him locked up in her home indefinitely when she finds out his plans to kill off her favorite character with the publication of his upcoming novel.
If you’re wondering what else happens in Misery, the answer is “not much,” but that’s not what’s important.
Kathy Bates Is A Force Of Nature
If there’s one reason for you to sit down and watch Misery, it’s Kathy Bates’ portrayal of Annie Wilkes – a woman who’s at one moment warm, maternal, and gentle, but only before snapping and becoming hostile toward Paul, who at first tries to be cooperative with his captor, but becomes increasingly desperate when it becomes evident that he may not survive the entire ordeal if he doesn’t do what she says.
James Caan, who plays off of Kathy Bates as if he were actually held hostage on the sound stage during the production of Misery, brings Paul Sheldon to life as his stoic yet calculating victim of circumstance who knows his time’s running out.
And just when things get too serious to handle, Sheriff Buster (Richard Farnsworth) and Deputy Virginia (Frances Sternhagen) add some levity to an otherwise bleak premise as they bicker over the missing author who was last seen in Silver Creek, Colorado before his disappearance.
The intrigue of the ongoing investigation alongside what’s happening inside of Annie’s residence as Paul fights for his life will keep you at the edge of your seat – especially when Annie leaves to run some errands and Paul is left to his own devices, knowing that he only has a few minutes to figure out his next moves in this dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Streaming Misery
Not all Stephen King adaptations are created equal (I’m looking at you, Under the Dome), but I can say with confidence that Misery is among the best to have ever been filmed. I still maintain that This is Spinal Tap is Rob Reiner’s crowning achievement as a director, but since we’re comparing apples and oranges here, I have absolutely no qualms saying that Misery has earned its rightful place in the genre as one of the most effective thrillers of its time that still holds up to this day.
As of this writing, you can stream Misery for free on Tubi.