As to the film itself- if you havn't seen it before, you've probably been mislead by trailers that have marketed this as horror or murder mystery and while it does contain elements of these genres, with such tour-de-force performances from all key players- this is primarily a great drama. While Kathy Bates (in the unforgettable title role) steals the show, Jenifer Jason Leigh is a magnetic presence and Christopher Plummer both solid and intense and all are appropriatley bitter from the various and disturbing traumas they experience.

As the director informs us in his commentary- this film secured zero oscar nominations, recieved no awards and most surprisingly- very little praise or even recognition upon its release- watch and enjoy and realise the travesty!

Watch it again and again
Review date: 2004-05-25 Rating: 10 out of 10

How many films can you name that you would gladly pick up and watch again and again? Some people can only count them on one hand. This is one of those films. I suppose one reason is the great dialogue. When you're young you want action and big explosions but when you get older you want a film for grown ups. Watching this film you realise you have discovered just that, a film where you bring your brain along and are glad that you did.

Apart from the marvellous dialogue an intriguing aspect is the way the story is told. Not linear, it goes back and forth but you are so glad that it does. Some people can be put off by that, but that is because some films do it to pretend they are clever when they are not. This film however doesn't annoy when it does it. I don't know how they managed it but jumps to a place just when you want it to.

Jennifer Jason Leigh is wonderful in this, Judy Parfitt too, it is a talented ensemble cast.

Now, this is Stephen King. I am a big fan of his but can tell a mile off when he has had a hand in the film adaptations. Rest assured, this is one of the best, in the class of The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and Misery, you know, the ones he has nothing to do with. When he gets involved you end up with The (dreaded) Langoliers, The (drawn out) Golden Years, The (not bad) Storm of the Century, The (toned down) Stand and The (really rather good) Shining (the TV one not the Kubrick one). These are all made for TV and they belie their TV roots in their excessive length and tame content. The ones he leaves alone and lets the movie makers get on with can sometimes be delightful grown-up affairs. Be assured, this is not tame, and although it does spend a little time away from the story it all adds to the atmosphere, something this film has in spades!

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