Dolores Claiborne

R

1995

2 hr. 11 min.

Crime

Drama

List

85%

48 Reviews

Tomatometer

82%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In a small New England town, Dolores Claiborne (Kathy Bates) works as a housekeeper for the rich but heartless Vera Donovan (Judy Parfitt). When Vera turns up dead, Dolores is accused of killing her elderly employer -- so her estranged daughter, Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a well-respected New York City journalist, decides to visit her mother and investigate the matter for herself. As Selena digs deeper into the case, she uncovers shocking truths about the murder and her own childhood.

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Critics Consensus

Post-Misery Kathy Bates proves to be another wonderful conduit for Stephen King's novels in this patient, gradually terrifying thriller.

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Alec C

The past can hold some dark secrets that will lead to dire consequences in the present! A reporter returns to her old town when her mother is accused of murder and realizes that the truth is hidden deep within her own mind. A sobering reminder of the affects of trauma and how on the surface, they are vey well hidden!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/08/24

Full Review

Gabriel S

I find that adaptations of Stephen King's work are always enjoyable to watch, even when the adaptation is kinda bogus — definitely not the case here, making it clear. The reason is because Stephen King, although often verbose, is a great storyteller. Dolores Claiborne from 1995 incorporates the best part about King's work: character development. Kathy Bates steals the show here. There couldn't be a better fit than her to play Dolores, and what a play! During this slow ride, we get to love Dolores and root for her, regardless of the ultimate truth. If you like slow drama-heavy stories that focus on character development, Dolores Claiborne doesn't disappoint. The movie starts slow, but the great question keeps you going: is Dolores a murder? Watch it to find out.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/20/23

Full Review

Montgomery M

stephen king movies with kathy bates in them are so good

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/12/23

Full Review

George G

If I hadn't read the book first, I could not have foreseen the direction it was going. I particularly liked the courtroom scene, and the daughter's reaction to the prosecutor's line of questioning regarding Dolores's relationship with her benefactress . It insinuates and expounds on love's often complicated role in relationships.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

based on the book by Stephen King this is more of one of his emotional dramas with high caliber stars Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Christopher Plummer, John C. Reiley, and David Straithan it's funny how a death in the family can pull people apart yet something like murder can bring them together Bates plays the title character whom was employed by a rich socialite for 22 years, her employer ends up dead and she's the number one suspect Leigh is her daughter Selena; she receives word working in New York City and comes home to help her deal with the investigation Plummer plays the detective Mackie on the case finding it easy to blame Dolores since this isn't the first time someone has died close to her the flashbacks also show how hard Dolores had it with her abusive husband as well as her boss demanding the most from her so was the whole thing an accident or premeditated? both actresses are outstanding as mother and daughter going back and forth about how they see things, the scenery is breathtaking, the color palettes for the flashbacks and the present are wonderful parallels, and the drama is quite fascinating an accident can be an unhappy woman's best friend, is it a completely masculine world we live in?, sometimes being mean and catty is all a woman can hold onto, husbands die nearly every day and leave their wives their money, it’s easy to blame someone for a past crime that’s been done to themselves and not just others This is some of King’s best source material being both a family drama and a crime mystery. The sins of the past can truly shape the future. If you need a break from the horror stories then this is a worthy adaptation to check out.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Devils A

Anything with Kathy Bates in it automatically gets 4 or 5 stars from me, the only thing that makes me give it a four star rating is because Stephen King is such a good writer and rarely messes up!!!!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

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Taylor Hackford

Director

Kathy Bates

Dolores Claiborne

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Selena St. George

Judy Parfitt

Vera Donovan

Christopher Plummer

Det. John Mackey

David Strathairn

Joe St. George

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Hugo Davenport

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Aided by strong performances, Hackford keeps the suspense simmering nicely until a botched courtroom showdown... Interesting, though, to see Stephen King in the guise of feminist.

Nov 18, 2022

Full Review

Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

It's rare to see a pop best seller come out this well in the movies.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 4, 2019

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: D+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Anatomy of a Scream Podcast Network

Bates and Jason Leigh both shine in this savvy adaptation of a challenging Stephen King book. Dolores Claiborne proves that when the right people board a project, there's no such thing as an unfilmable book

Rated: 4/5

Nov 2, 2022

Full Review

Mal Vincent

The Virginian-Pilot

A delightful yarn.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 25, 2022

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The story remains compelling even as some of the particulars become obvious before they're revealed.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 18, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

In a small New England town, Dolores Claiborne (Kathy Bates) works as a housekeeper for the rich but heartless Vera Donovan (Judy Parfitt). When Vera turns up dead, Dolores is accused of killing her elderly employer -- so her estranged daughter, Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a well-respected New York City journalist, decides to visit her mother and investigate the matter for herself. As Selena digs deeper into the case, she uncovers shocking truths about the murder and her own childhood.

Director: Taylor Hackford
Screenwriter: Stephen King, Tony Gilroy
Production Co: Castle Rock Entertainment, Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 18, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $22.8M
Sound Mix: Surround

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