Gerald's Game (2017)
October 5, 2017 7:51 AM - Subscribe

While trying to spice up their marriage in their remote lake house, Jessie must fight to survive when her husband dies unexpectedly, leaving her handcuffed to their bed frame.

Gerald's Game is the Netflix adaption of the 1992 suspense novel by Stephen King. It features powerful performances by Carla Gugino (Jessie), Bruce Greenwood (Gerald), and Chiara​ ​Aurelia (young Jessie), and adeptly brings the inner monologues of the book to life on the screen.

AV Club scores it a "B": Apologies to It, but Gerald's Game shows how to really adapt a Stephen King bestseller

Variety: Carla Gugino gives a tour-de-force performance in an arresting psychological thriller ...
posted by jazon (6 comments total)
 
I thought this was very well done; one of the better King adaptations I've seen. At first, I didn't think I was going to like the device of seeing her inner monologues played out as conversations, but the writing and acting was so strong that it ended up being an effective way of telling the story. My one quibble is that they might have gone back to that well once too often, as those scenes sometimes served as a bit of a tension buffer. The one aspect of the book I thought it missed was the oppressive sense of dread that began to gnaw at the protagonist as the day slooowly wore into the long shadows of late afternoon and the night began its inevitable, creeping approach. (But good luck translating all that from the page to the screen.)
posted by Atom Eyes at 1:07 PM on October 5, 2017 [3 favorites]


The oppressive sense of dread started for me before her husband even died, as I remembered the book far too well. This is the first horror movie I've had to stop watching because I was too freaked out.
posted by marguerite at 1:51 PM on October 5, 2017


We thought this was great. Couple of good spooks, a good ohgodohgodohgod scene, good acting, decent writing, semi-ok ending. A very decent package!
posted by turbid dahlia at 5:31 PM on October 5, 2017 [1 favorite]


The oppressive sense of dread started for me before her husband even died, as I remembered the book far too well. This is the first horror movie I've had to stop watching because I was too freaked out.


The book was the only book I've ever had to put down for the same reason.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 8:25 AM on October 6, 2017


I really liked this. I think it really captured the feeling of the book (and that book is still the only book that has ever made me actually, no shit, JUMP).

They did a really good job with the creepiness of "is he there or is it moonlight" too.
posted by biscotti at 6:49 PM on October 6, 2017 [1 favorite]


I didn’t even know this was a Stephen King book but I liked it! I was literally going back and forth between glued to the screen and looking away for the last 20 or so minutes. Didn’t see that ending at all but holy crap I love it.
posted by LizBoBiz at 11:12 AM on July 3, 2021


« Older Podcast: The Adventure Zone: S...   |  Movie: Blade Runner 2049... Newer »

You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments

poster