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Parents' Guide to

Misery

By Kelly Kessler, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Gripping tale of manipulation has cursing, violence.

Movie R 1990 107 minutes
Misery Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 13+

Based on 26 parent reviews

Tyler B.
Tyler B. Parent of 6, 12 and 13-year-old
February 26, 2023
age 13+

Great King Thriller/Horror film for teens

This movie is great, Kathy Bates is great in the role, and the story keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time, little to no language, only a couple uses of shit and bitch, and fuck only being used once at the climax, besides where Paul angrily types in fuck several times on a typewriter, no sex at all, and the violence is mild, no gore, just tension, blood shown at the end of the film but besides thats theres not much, Paul is smoking in the very first few minutes of the film, and alcohol is drank once or twice, anyway, this film is great for teens and adults and csm was exaggerating way to much with the 17+
dman15
dman15 Adult
July 30, 2023
age 13+

Disturbing storyline, but not that graphic

I really enjoyed this film. I can say that I thought it was a bit slow, and at some points a bit boring however. Ultimately, there wasn’t a lot going on. As for it being a horror movie, I expected it to be far more disturbing and graphic. This was honestly pretty mild for an R rated film if I do say so. It’s only rated that because it’s super dark. I could see how it may disturb younger children or others easily disturbed, but seriously, at 13, what has a kid not seen these days? The violence in this film is pretty intense, but there’s not much gore. There is some, but not much. The swearing in this film is pretty mild for an R as well. There’s a few uses of f—k that I remember, but other than that, I don’t remember hearing anything else. The most disturbing thing I can think of in this movie is when it is revealed that the lady is actually killing babies and feeding them to her pig. However, none of this is shown. I can see how that would disturb some people obviously, but it really depends on the person.
See all 26 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, MISERY details the unfortunate exploits of a romance novelist (James Caan) and his obsessively sadistic "number one fan," Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates). Upon rescuing the writer from a snowy car crash, Wilkes uses extreme measures to keep the object of her admiration at arm's length.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (26 ):
Kids say (97 ):

Powerfully filmed, Misery grips the audience and presents a fascinating character study in psychosis. The truly in-your-face violence may prove to be too much for many adults and teens alike. Don'tt let the credits lure you into a false sense of security. Despite the inclusion of seemingly family-friendly names such as Rob Reiner (Stand by Me, The Princess Bride) and Kathy Bates (Fried Green Tomatoes, Primary Colors), you will find no warm fuzzy moments in this film as the story is filled with physical and emotional torture (including one of the most wince-worthy moments of film.)

The film presents a sadistic story of manipulation and torture as Annie struggles to preserve her favorite literary character by torturing its creator. Misery reeks with tension and suspense from beginning to end, as the fate of the writer appears darker and darker. Ultimately, the film culminates in a gruesome battle of wits and will. Watch out for the "hobbling" scene. Nonetheless, Misery did bring Bates critical acclaim and her first Oscar. The film also includes charming performances by Richard Farnsworth and Frances Sternhagen as the small-town sheriff and deputy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how they feel about the violence in the movie. They can also use the movie as a basis for discussing safety and protecting themselves from strangers.

  • How does this compare with other movie adaptations of Stephen King's novels?

  • How is Annie revealed to be mentally and emotionally disturbed? How is she made into a fully-developed character rather than just a one-dimensional murderer like in other horror movies?

Movie Details

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