Starring
Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judy Parfitt, Christopher Plummer,
David Strathairn, John C. Reilly, Ellen Muth, Eric Bogosian, Bob
Gunton. Directed by Taylor Hackford. (1995, 131 min).
I've
been a fan of Stephen King most of my life and have read nearly all his
books. With few exceptions, I've always preferred the horror novels
to those which dabble in other genres. Interestingly, though, it's
often the latter which have ended up being better movies, even improving on their source material.
I
suppose part of that is because horror has always been difficult
to pull-off well, and why the few great adaptations of King's
bread-&-butter, like Carrie, The Dead Zone, and The Mist, stand
out as true classics. But I think the main reason is, even when King is
writing mysteries, straight thrillers or slice-of-life narratives,
his characters are still rich, vivid and complex. What
self-respecting actor or director wouldn't want to get their mitts on them?
 |
| Alabama foreplay. |
Though
not as widely revered as Misery, The Shawshank
Redemption or Stand by Me, Dolores Claiborne is
another example of one of King's less compelling novels scoring as a
terrific movie. Kathy Bates didn't nab another Oscar nod for this
one, but her performance as the titular character, who may or may not
have murdered her ailing employer, is just as remarkable. She's
surrounded by a talented cast which includes Jennifer Jason Leigh as
Selena, her estranged daughter, and Christopher Plummer as Mackey, a detective obsessed with proving her guilt; he remains convinced Dolores
also murdered her abusive husband (David Strathairn) 18 years earlier, the
one case he was never able to close.
But
Dolores Claiborne isn't a standard mystery. It's also a tragic
character study of an unhappy woman who still suffers from her family
being torn apart by abuse (revealed through vivid flashbacks). The
film is filled with surprises and revelations, the dark, somber mood
aided considerably by the beautifully-dreary winter setting (which looks
stunning on Blu-Ray).
Most
importantly, Dolores Claiborne tells a great story, which unfolds
better on the screen than it did on the printed page. The characters
and performances are first-rate, as is the cinematography, all of
which help make this director Taylor Hackford's best, most underappreciated film.
EXTRA
KIBBLES
AUDIO
COMMENTARY - By Director Taylor Hackford
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS
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