Bag of Bones (Stephen King's)

2011 / Director. Mick Garris.

Bag of Bones is one of the better Stephen King adaptations I have seen and I think it's the best "King" telemovie since Storm Of The Century. The novel was described as a haunted love story and the film captures that theme really well. Pierce Brosnan plays a high profile novelist whose wife is killed in a tragic accident. With the conviction that he cannot write anymore without her he is compelled to spend time away at his lakeside retreat, which is a place his wife would escape to while he was immersed in his work. Before long he starts having visions and believes that his wife brought him to the lake house for a reason. The film follows the book closely and all of King's intentions are represented on the screen. A few slight details are altered and/or omitted for the film, but all for the sake of a stronger onscreen story. Unlike many of King's film adaptations, Bag of Bones doesn't venture into hokey territory, albeit for 2 mysteriously sinister characters... but even then, they aren't forced into heightened caricatures like many previous King adaptations. The film is often scary (actual frights) and it doesn't shy away from the darker themes of the story. Television content is pushing new envelopes these days and where previous telemovies have been restrained, director Mick Garris takes the viewer into these shadows and makes no apologies. It's not a hard-core film by any means but its tone is malevolent and heart wrenching, particularly in it's final act. Pierce Brosnan carries the entire film well and is convincing. The film runs for just under 3 hours and it never wanes. A solid Stephen King movie, for sure.

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