365 Days. 365 Films.

Dolores Claiborne is a wife, mother and a maid accused of murdering her husband, and the woman she cared and cleaned for. After being caught with a rolling pin in her hands, ready to strike the old woman in front of her, she is arrested as a suspect. Her daughter, Selena, who she hasn’t spoken to in 15 years, comes to bail her out, and as Dolores explains what actually happened with Vera, the old woman she apparently murdered, Selena learns and remembers more about her childhood and her father than she had expected to. Learning to love her mother again after growing up with the belief that she had killed her father, this is a beautiful and dramatic story about family and trust.

I have to set aside a few words to speak about Kathy Bates since she is the reason I watched this film. I had never heard of it until my mother recommended it, using it as an example of why Kathy Bates is her favourite actress. After watching this, it is obvious that this is the best example of Bates’ work; she gets so deep into the character that you can hardly remember who is actually playing the role. And while on the subject of the cast, everyone is brilliant. Jennifer Jason Leigh (Selena) is tremendous in her role as a messed up drunk, the young girl who plays the young Selena is also unbelievably talented, and I was also happy to see a young John C. Reilly who was, again, brilliant.

I have no complaints about this film, but it is a little depressing in parts – still an amazing display of brilliant direction and acting – Oscars all round!