Dolores Claiborne (1995)

Movies

Dolores Claiborne (1995) is an American psychological thriller film directed by Taylor Hackford and starring Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Christopher Plummer, and David Strathairn. The screenplay by Tony Gilroy is based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Stephen King. The plot focuses on the strained relationship between a mother and her daughter, largely told through flashbacks, after her daughter arrives to her remote hometown on a Maine island where her mother has been accused of murdering the elderly woman for whom she had long been a care-provider and companion.

Director: Taylor Hackford – directed films like An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), The Devil’s Advocate (1997), Proof (2005)

Writer: Tony Gilroy – wrote films like The Bourne Identity (2002), Michael Clayton (2007), Duplicity (2009)

Release Date: March 24, 1995

Domestic Box Office: $68.7 million

Dolores Claiborne (1995)

The Good:

  • Kathy Bates gives an Oscar-winning performance as Dolores Claiborne.
  • The film is well-acted and directed.
  • The story is suspenseful and engaging.

The Bad:

  • The film is slow-paced at times.
  • The ending is somewhat predictable.

Top 5 Cast:

  • Kathy Bates as Dolores Claiborne
  • Jennifer Jason Leigh as Selena St. George
  • Christopher Plummer as Joe St. George
  • David Strathairn as Detective John Mackey
  • Wayne Robson as Dr. Madden

“Sometimes, an accident can be an unhappy woman’s best friend.”

Critical Reviews:

  • Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3.5 out of 4 stars, calling it “a powerful and disturbing film, beautifully acted and directed.”
  • “Kathy Bates gives a performance of such power and conviction that it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role. She is Dolores Claiborne, a woman who has been battered by life, both physically and emotionally. She is a survivor, but she is also a woman who is on the edge.”
  • Janet Maslin of The New York Times called the film “a taut, suspenseful thriller” and praised Bates’ performance as “a tour de force.”
  • “Bates is mesmerizing as Dolores, a woman who has spent her life being pushed around and taken advantage of. She is a woman who has learned to keep her anger bottled up inside, but when she finally lets it loose, it is a force to be reckoned with.”
  • Desson Howe of The Washington Post gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars, calling it “a well-made but ultimately unsatisfying film.” “The film is beautifully shot and acted, but it never quite comes together. The story is too slow-paced and the ending is too predictable.”

Cinematic Importance: Dolores Claiborne (1995) is a significant film for several reasons. First, it is a well-made and well-acted film that tells a compelling story. Second, it features a strong female lead performance by Kathy Bates, which was a rarity at the time. Third, the film addresses themes of domestic violence and abuse, which were not often explored in mainstream films at the time. Dolores Claiborne is a classic film that is still relevant today.

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