On D List of Movie Reviews
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Dolores Claiborne (1995)
Rate:
8
Viewed:
11/12, 3/24
11/12:
You might say Dolores Claiborne is a chick film.
Kathy Bates gives a tour de force performance, recapturing the same magic from Misery that saw her win the
Oscar. Hence, I'm surprised Kathy Bates wasn't nominated again.
On the other hand, I have mixed feelings about Jennifer Jason Leigh's performance. I admit her character is so
annoying by acting like a spoiled brat throughout. But I'm going to be objective and say she did well.
The best performance of the show goes to Judy Parfitt as Vera Donovan.
The plot is captivating as it kept me glued from start to end. It's a fine piece of work by Taylor Hackford who
has done a great job in the storytelling department as evidenced in
Everybody's All-American;
What's Eating Gilbert Grape;
The Idolmaker; Blood In, Blood Out;
and the ever-romantic classic An Officer and a Gentleman.
All in all, Dolores Claiborne is a superb haunting flick.
3/24:
Dropping a point in my rating, Dolores Claiborne is still well-made, but it's too long.
Kathy Bates and Judy Parfitt are at their best while Jennifer Jason Leigh is annoying. The weird part is the
daughter not remembering what her father did to her when she was a kid. Of course, she has to cut down on the
drugs, drinking, and smoking because they're clearly poisoning her mind. By the way, the film was never shot on
location in Maine but Nova Scotia, Canada. Some people have wrongly classified Dolores Claiborne as a
horror picture when it's been 100% drama all the way through.
All in all, Kathy Bates got robbed of an Oscar nomination for Dolores Claiborne.