Misery: parents' guide
Best for ages 16 and up. Rated R for strong violence.
A tense psychological thriller for older teens who can take one infamous, wince-inducing scene. A novelist injured in a car crash is rescued by his self-described number one fan, who keeps him captive, drugs him and punishes him. Most of the film is slow-burning suspense rather than gore, but when violence comes it is brutal: his ankles are smashed with a sledgehammer, a man is killed with a shotgun, and the climax is a bloody fight to the death. There is no sex and only occasional strong language. The sustained terror and that hobbling scene put it at 16.
What's in it
Violence
StrongInfrequent but brutal: a captor breaks a bedridden man's ankles with a sledgehammer, a sheriff is killed by a shotgun blast to the back, and the climax is a bloody struggle involving a gun, fire and a heavy iron doorstop used to kill.
Language
ModerateOccasional strong language: Movieguide counted six obscenities, including f-words and one 'c--ksucker' in the climax, plus 'bitch,' 'bastard,' an ethnic slur and a middle finger. The captor herself refuses to curse.
Sex and nudity
NoneNo sex or nudity. The captor is prudish, and the only romance is in the novels the hero writes.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
ModerateThe captor forces painkillers on the injured writer and later injects him with a sedative against his will. He secretly hoards pills to drug her. Adults drink wine and champagne.
Scary or intense scenes
StrongSustained dread: a helpless man trapped in a remote house with an unstable, violent captor whose mood swings are unnerving, and who plans to kill him and then herself. A scrapbook reveals she was once tried over the deaths of infants at her hospital.
Sensitive topics
- Suicide
- Death of a child
Worth talking about
Annie's devotion turns into control. Talk about the difference between being a fan and feeling entitled to someone else's work or life.
On our lists
Similar picks around 16+
Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, bbfc.co.uk, Wikipedia, movieguide.org. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.