Misery
After an accident, acclaimed novelist Paul Sheldon is rescued by a nurse who claims to be his biggest fan. Her obsession takes a dark turn when she holds him captive in her remote Colorado home and forces him to write back to life the popular literary character he killed off.
Critics Sentiment
Annie breaks Paul's ankles with a sledgehammer
Paul Sheldon crashes his car in Colorado blizzard
The film builds steadily from its setup to the infamous hobbling scene, which reviewers universally praised as one of cinema's most memorably horrifying moments.
Misery maintains strong audience reception throughout, building tension methodically from Annie's introduction through escalating psychological horror. The hobbling scene represents the film's peak impact, while the patient character development and Bates' transformative performance sustain high scores across most beats. Critics consistently praised the adaptation as one of King's best, with particular acclaim for the performances and Hitchcockian suspense.
Full cast
Kathy Bates
Annie Wilkes
James Caan
Paul Sheldon
Richard Farnsworth
Buster
Lauren Bacall
Marcia Sindell
Frances Sternhagen
Virginia
Graham Jarvis
Libby
Jerry Potter
Pete
Thomas Brunelle
Anchorman
June Christopher
Anchorwoman
Julie Payne
Reporter #1
Archie Hahn
Reporter #2
Gregory Snegoff
Reporter #3
Wendy Bowers
Waitress
Rob Reiner
Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)
J.T. Walsh
State Trooper Sherman Douglas (uncredited)
Crew
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