Dolores Claiborne

Starring: Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judy Parfitt, Christopher Plummer, David Strathairn, Eric Bogosian, John C. Reilly, Bob Gunton
Directed by: Taylor Hackford
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Mystery
1995

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A woman (Jennifer Jason Leigh) reluctantly returns home when her estranged mother (Kathy Bates) is accused of murder.

Review:

Tim: I'm a big Stephen King fan, so I was looking forward to Dolores Claiborne. Taylor Hackford directs a film that is much more of a psychological thriller than some of King's other work. Oftentimes, though, it is King's more subtle work that can be adapted into the best film. While this movie doesn't rank at the top of King adaptations, it's a thoroughly engrossing, entertaining movie. I really enjoyed the film and sat at attention throughout the movie. I was genuinely curious to see how it all ended.

The movie does a good job of creating several mysteries, all wrapped around the complex character of Dolores Claiborne. The film opens with an ambiguous scene- we're not sure what happens, but a woman dies at the foot of a staircase at the end of it. Dolores is implicated in the death by a witness. This spins up the story, as her daughter returns home against her wishes. Throughout the film, we learn more and more about the Claiborne's dysfunctional history. The movie is superb at parceling out information slowly. The movie is 2 hours and 12 minutes long, but it never feels too long- we're given more information about the past at different intervals, so we're always interested in what's happening on screen. This helps hold our attention from start to finish. It was fun seeing the mystery build.

The film is helped by some strong performances. Most noteworthy is Kathy Bates in the titular role. Her performance can't compare to the one in Misery five years earlier, but Stephen King adaptations work for her. She is able to showcase her considerable acting talent here. The part is meaty and she has to demonstrate a wide range of emotions. It's a remarkable performance and one of the highlights of the film. Jennifer Jason Leigh was okay. There were moments where her performance really worked and others than felt too forced and effortful. I didn't love her in this film, but she does work to some extent. David Strathairn gives a strong supporting turn. He is at times charismatic and demonic. I was stunned by how quickly he could shift emotions. It really is an incredible supporting performance. Christopher Plummer was strong as a cop with a determination bordering on an obsession. For stretches of the film, he isn't asked to do anything considerable, but there are a few moments where the subtlety of his performance is shockingly good. He certainly contributes to the film. I also liked seeing John C. Reilly in a small supporting role. He makes the movie better with his presence. As a whole, the cast is quite solid.

Taylor Hackford really does a good job with the movie. The pacing felt strong and the mystery builds. When we finally uncover the more salacious aspects of the Claiborne past, they are difficult to stomach. Hackford did a great job of developing the characters to the point where we're invested in their story, even when we might not like them all that much. One complaint I did have- due to the film's length, it does lose some steam at the end. The movie feels like it peaks with the darker revelations of the Claiborne history, but there's still the hearing to be had at the end. The movie really starts to crumble a bit at this point. It feels like the mystery has been answered and the end of the film immediately becomes predictable (the story was anything but up to the final big reveal). It's an interesting but small complaint- after we learn the truth, the movie continues for what feels too long and it ends the movie on a slightly weaker note.

Despite that, Dolores Claiborne offers some intriguing mystery and keeps us guessing nearly to the end of the film. The eclipse scene is certainly memorable, but you won't soon forget anything you see in this movie. This is a really solid film and an enjoyable King adaptation.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Misery, The Green Mile