Dolores Claiborne

Play trailer

Dolores Claiborne

R

1995

2h 11m

Crime

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

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

Read Critics Reviews

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

11/17/2024

3/4

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

Go to Full Review

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

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

D P

@RT45936356 Mar 15

I liked this. Another case of the internet letting me know that an old movie actually exists.

See more

thiago S

@Thiagostone Mar 13

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

See more

Joseph G

@LicenseToChivalry007 Mar 4

Dark, Raw, and Emotionally Gripping. Dolores Claiborne masterfully takes King's book title to the big screen in outstanding form. What makes the film succeed is Taylor Hackford’s brilliant direction, which offers the audience an even-handed glimpse into the main character’s past and present trauma. Bolstered further by its terrific atmosphere, superb performances by Bates and Leigh, and its proper mixture of heartbreak and horror that pays proper homage to the King's novel. But what makes Dolores Claiborne shine is the journey both Dolores (Bates) and her daughter Selena (Leigh) endure as they confront their pasts and the demons they must face in the present. This film is not a horror film, like IT or Pet Sematary, but rather explores the horrors of secrets and unaddressed trauma that manifest when they remain buried too long. You will enjoy this underrated film. Five Stars.

See more

Keith S.

@kxsink68 Mar 2

Fantastic acting, terrific screenplay, brilliantly directed & edited, I can watch this movie 100 times and never get tired of it, and always find something new to appreciate.

See more

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.

See more

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.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

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%

True Believer

Watchlist

Against All Odds

64%

46%

Against All Odds

Watchlist

Dead Man Walking

97%

86%

Dead Man Walking

Watchlist

The Underneath

64%

40%

The Underneath

Watchlist

Physical Evidence

22%

15%

Physical Evidence

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Rank the 10 Best Stephen King Movie Adaptations

View more photos

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

Most Popular at Home Now