Review of Dolores Claiborne (1995) by Dave J — 12 Aug 2012

Monday, August 13, 2012.

(1995) Dolores Claiborne.

PSYCOLOGICAL DRAMA/ THRILLER/ MYSTERY.

At the beginning, viewers hear some arguing unbeknowist who and what it is, next you see an old lady falling down the stairs who is not completely dead, it "appears" that the only lady present by the name of "Dolores Claiborne" a paid housekeeper played by Kathy Bates pushed her down the stairs, next she grabs a rolling pin from the kitchen and was about to hit the old lady with it who was still alive until the town's mailman walks in preventing her from clobbering the old lady still lying at the bottom of the starcase, finally the old lady dies. Jump to the next scene showcasing Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a reporter for some magazine in New York City and she receives a fax from an unknown source that her mother Dolores has been detained for questioning for an old lady's death. And upon going over their on some island by way of ferry, viewers notice that she's smoking, drinking and takes many types of medication and we wonder why or whether theirs going to be a revelation.

This film resonates more after my second viewing after many years since seeing it on commercial VHS, and decided to watch it again since coming across an actual DVD version and initially was going to give this film a 90% but after watching it again concluded that since everything shown in this film is self explannatory and thought it deserves a perfect score. I first thought how fascinating upon watching it how the film reveals itself to the audience up until the final frame. Taken from a Stephen King novel of the same name, this has to be one of the finest adaptions ever from any of his novels since it never forgets nor leaves it's point about what it's trying to say. As a matter of fact this film covers all the reasons why some of the 'key' characters act the way they do particularly Det. John Mackey played by Christopher Plummer, the unlikable Joe St. George played by David Strathairn and Vera exceptionally played by Judy Parfitt. And although I haven't seen everything Kathy Bates has ever been in, I must say that I agree with her when she publically said that this was her most proudest role up to date since it's so psycologically complex that a second viewing is necessary to understand every difficult situation that it shows regarding the main characters, and is definately not for the simple or the narrow minded. This is also director's Taylor Hackford's finest film up to date so far.

4 out of 4.