Is Misery appropriate for children?

# Misery - Parent Guide **Not recommended for children.** This intense psychological thriller features a deranged woman who kidnaps and tortures a writer, with scenes of strong violence and graphic injury. The disturbing subject matter, explicit language, and prolonged scenes of captive abuse make this unsuitable for young viewers.

What age is Misery suitable for?

Our verdict for Misery is: Not recommended. See the age grid on this page for specific recommendations by age group.

Is Misery safe for children? | ScreenWise Parent Guide

Content breakdown

🔫

Violence

Strong

🗣️

Language / Profanity

Strong

🔞

Sexual Content

Moderate

👻

Horror / Scary

Moderate

About this movie

Type

Movie

Released

1990

Rating

Genre

Drama, Thriller

Synopsis

After an accident, acclaimed novelist Paul Sheldon is rescued by a nurse who claims to be his biggest fan. Her obsession takes a dark turn when she holds him captive in her remote Colorado home and forces him to write back to life the popular literary character he killed off.

Cast

Kathy Bates

Annie Wilkes

James Caan

Paul Sheldon

Richard Farnsworth

Buster

Lauren Bacall

Marcia Sindell

Full cast on IMDb ›

Age suitability

Under 6

Not yet

Ages 6–8

Not recommended

Ages 9–12

Not recommended

Ages 13+

Not recommended

Where to watch

🎬 Find on Amazon

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Parents also checked

The Shawshank Redemption

Not recommended

Forrest Gump

Not recommended

Ratings based on MPAA/TV classification and TMDB metadata. Updated March 2026.
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