Misery is the 1990 psychological thriller directed by Rob Reiner, adapted by William Goldman from Stephen King's 1987 novel, and starring Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes and James Caan as Paul Sheldon. The film follows a successful romance novelist who crashes his car in a snowstorm and is rescued by his self-proclaimed "number one fan" — only to discover that her devotion has a dangerous edge to it. It is, simply, one of the finest thrillers of its era, and time has done absolutely nothing to dull its impact.

This is a film I have heard discussed reverently my entire life. Misery came out three years before I was born. It has been part of the cultural conversation around great thrillers for as long as I have been alive, and going in I was prepared for the very real possibility that the hype had quietly outgrown the film. That is not what happened. Misery exceeds its reputation.

I will be honest that the first few minutes didn't lock me in immediately — entirely my fault, not the film's. But once the story properly began, the suspense, the dread, and the slow, methodical revelation of just how unhinged Annie Wilkes truly is got under my skin completely. Reiner's direction is patient and confident. He doesn't rush the horror. He lets it accumulate naturally until you are as trapped as the protagonist.

Kathy Bates is the centrepiece of the film and deserves every word of praise she has ever received for this role. She won the Best Actress Oscar for the performance — to this day still the only horror or thriller actress to claim that award — and watching her work it becomes immediately clear why. Annie Wilkes is one of cinema's most iconic villains and Bates plays her with terrifying precision. Already one of my favourite actresses; this film moved her up significantly.

James Caan deserves equal recognition. Confined to a bed for almost the entire runtime, he communicates fear, frustration, physical pain and slow strategic calculation almost entirely through his face. There are moments here that genuinely transferred his anguish to me as a viewer. Brilliant work.

I had a sense of where the ending was heading. I was largely right. It did not in any way diminish my engagement with the journey to get there.

A handful of minor moments didn't fully connect with me, which is the only reason this isn't a perfect score. Otherwise this is essentially flawless thriller filmmaking.

9 out of 10. Massive recommend. And rest in peace, Rob Reiner — thank you for one of the finest entries in your remarkable filmography.