Overview
A gripping tale of a daughter confronting her past as dark secrets unravel in a small town.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- melancholic
- foreboding
- oppressive
- rainy day
- quiet night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh's performances and the film's patient, psychologically unsettling treatment of domestic horror, while some found its melodrama and pacing excessive.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Selena's investigation into Vera's death repeatedly collides with memories of her father's death and her estrangement from Dolores.
The closed-up St. George house becomes the place where mother and daughter confront memories that connect past and present.
Dolores and Selena's histories are shaped by abusive men, social suspicion, and the struggle to reclaim agency.
The investigation of Vera Donovan's death is inseparable from the earlier suspected killing of Joe St. George and the family's concealed trauma.
Films like Dolores Claiborne, and why
Misery
shared psychological suspense, abusive family history, and a commanding female central performance
The Dead Zone
shared small-town mystery, buried trauma, nonlinear revelations, and emotionally intense mother-daughter dynamics
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte
shared gothic domestic dread, dysfunctional family secrets, and gradual exposure of past violence
Movie Details
- Director
- Taylor Hackford
- Release Date
- 1995-03-24
- Runtime
- 132 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (908)
Cast
- Kathy Bates
- Jennifer Jason Leigh
- Judy Parfitt
- Christopher Plummer
- David Strathairn
- Eric Bogosian
- John C. Reilly
- Ellen Muth
- Bob Gunton
- Roy Cooper
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dolores Claiborne about?
- An estranged daughter returns to a Maine island to investigate her mother's suspected murder and confront the family violence that divided them.
- What is Dolores Claiborne like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dolores Claiborne as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Dolores Claiborne violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Dolores Claiborne as moderate.
- What did critics think of Dolores Claiborne?
- Critics broadly praised Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh's performances and the film's patient, psychologically unsettling treatment of domestic horror, while some found its melodrama and pacing excessive.
- Which films are like Dolores Claiborne?
- Films with a similar feel include Misery, The Dead Zone, and Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte.
- How long is Dolores Claiborne?
- Dolores Claiborne runs 132 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dolores Claiborne?
- In United States, Dolores Claiborne is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
