The Reflection of Misery

Misery (1990) tells a story that a famous writer is rescued by a crazy big female fan after a serious car accident; she takes him home, comforting him, and she won't let him go, asking him to rewrite the work which can make her touching; otherwise, he would never be free. It is based on one of the best novels of Stephen King. Unlike other King's works, full of ghosts, aliens, monsters or supernatural things, the frighten parts may happen in the real world, so it would be more easily to make ourselves indulge in the story, experiencing the same tortures on the body and mental pressures. Sharing with the same identity of the character with huge numbers of book fans, King puts his most panic nightmare into the story.

Rob Reiner, the director, has shot a well-known teenager adventure movie called Stand by Me (1986), based on King's another novel, The Body; he becomes one of the rare directors who are able to control King's stories. Misery is a grave thriller, so Reiner changes his narrative style, presenting the bleak and panic atmosphere like the novel does, instead of the warm and filling with surprises in Stand by Me.

Because of the plot the female character keeps the writer in captivity in her house, most of the scenes happen indoor in Misery, most of time the story focusing on the interaction between both. The simple scenes won't make the audience tedious, because the relationship between them is unpredictable; we may think the way to escape the psycho's house with the male character. With the fugitive personality of the sick woman, the nervous feelings would drive us insane. It is like a cat catches a mouse, no matter how clever the ways to escape he thinks, she will always know how to catch him back.

The brilliant interaction between the characters is thanks to not merely the good play to portray the heroes deeply but the splendid acting of Kathy Bates. She is the rare actress winning the Oscar in a leading role by such notorious character, smiling like an innocent child and outraged as a lion. So, mostly, it is she to make Misery as a stunning work.