Dolores Claiborne

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Dolores Claiborne

R

1995

2h 11m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

51 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

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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Glenn Kenny

Entertainment Weekly

Jan 20

A-

Confrontations between ”crude” parent and ”sophisticated” child have long been a dramatic commonplace, but both actresses seem hell-bent to get to the core of their characters.

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Hugo Davenport

Daily Telegraph (UK)

11/18/2022

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.

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Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

10/04/2019

3.5/4

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

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Mar 26

4/5

Earns its keep among the best King adaptations for its depiction of lives with eternal asterisks — the horrors that quickly crash & slowly recede when you least expect, that you can’t really see lurking in any shadows but that you can always, always feel.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

11/17/2024

3/4

...a slow-moving drama that benefits from its atmospheric visuals and top-notch performances...

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Joe Lipsett

Anatomy of a Scream Podcast Network

11/02/2022

4/5

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

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spoko s

@spoko Sep 2

Jennifer Jason Leigh is just SUCH a terrible actress. Doesn't help to put her next to real talent like Kathy Bates.

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Farah R

@Farah May 30

Hailed among the best of Steven King's adaptations, Dolores Claiborne is a brilliant film owing to Kathy Bates' powerful performance. It's impossible not to be moved by her stirring portrayal of the titular character and not get gripped by the mystery the premise centers around.

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Leo Rafael d

Mar 20

A movie that deserved acting awards.

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Maria M

@Jenower Mar 11

Absolutely adore this film in every way

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Jack M

@Jackhole Mar 7

Great cast performances and story

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J V

01/27/2025

This movie is filled with many great actors. One of my all time favorite movies. 👍

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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

True Believer

96%

63%

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64%

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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
Producer: Taylor Hackford, Charles Mulvehill
Screenwriter: Tony Gilroy, Stephen King
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
Runtime: 2h 11m
Sound Mix: Surround

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