This Stephen King Adaptation Is One of the Best Yet Overlooked Thrillers of the 90s
Perhaps this is the most powerful psychological drama in the writer's filmography of adaptations.
Dolores Claiborne has an unusual fate: everyone has heard of the movie, but few have seen it. Kathy Bates is seemingly the star of the Stephen King adaptation – Misery taught us that this partnership is, at the very least, promising.
However, this crime thriller, which is about a murder investigation and domestic violence, rarely comes up in conversations about the author's iconic adaptations.
What Is 'Dolores Claiborne' About?
Young journalist Selena receives a fax that her mother, Dolores, is suspected of murdering Vera Donovan, an aristocrat for whom Dolores had worked for twenty years. Selena, who hasn't spoken to her mother in 15 years, returns to her family home.
The story of Dolores' life and suffering gradually unfolds on screen. This isn't the first time Dolores has been accused: she was previously suspected of her husband's death, which occurred under mysterious circumstances.
The case is being handled by the same detective who is seeking revenge for a previous defeat. The movie attempts to unravel two deaths: that of her current employer and the disappearance of Dolores' husband many years ago.
'Dolores Claiborne' Is Worth Watching if Only for the Brilliant Duo of Kathy Bates & Jennifer Jason Leigh
The acting duo of Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh is a force to be reckoned with. Bates, an Oscar winner for Misery, considers her role in Dolores Claiborne her crowning achievement.
She plays a quiet housekeeper suspected of murder, a woman who struggles with unpleasant things in unpleasant ways. Dolores is a strong, determined individual ready to defend herself and her family.
Jennifer Jason Leigh is also superb as Selena, the journalist who returns home to investigate the situation – she confronts the truth about her past and must reexamine her relationship with her mother.
'Dolores Claiborne' Is a Domestic Drama in the Guise of a Tense Thriller
Dolores Claiborne is too "ordinary" a story to be on everyone's lips. In King's mythology, the fictional island of Little Tall, where the action unfolds, has become a haven for all human vices, where hardship and toil are the only antidote to gossip.
Rather than attempting to shock the viewer with supernatural horrors, the movie depicts a domestic nightmare that transports them to another dimension. The director masterfully weaves flashbacks into the narrative to show how the past influences the present.
Dolores Claiborne explores topics of domestic violence, female solidarity, and the price of survival.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Dolores Claiborne'?
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Dolores Claiborne has 87% from critics and 82% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.4/10.
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On Letterboxd, Dolores Claiborne scored 3.8/5.0.
Where to Watch 'Dolores Claiborne'?
Dolores Claiborne is available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
