The carpenter from Nazareth? I know him well. A promising young man, certainly, but he met a bad end. Needful Things comes from director Fraser C. Heston and was written for the screen by W.D. Richter, based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name. The film features Max von Sydow, Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia, J. T. Walsh, and Amanda Plummer. The town of Castle Rock, Maine is thrown into a frenzy when a new shop called Needful Things opens its doors. The owner, the enigmatic Leland Gaunt (Sydow), offers unique items in exchange for customers playing pranks on others within the community—pranks that will have serious repercussions for everyone involved. To truly appreciate Needful Things, you’ll need to consider a few things: Have you read the book? Did you like it? Do you generally enjoy Stephen King's work? And are you expecting something similar to Misery (1990)? I wouldn't try to present this as an exceptional adaptation of King's writing for film, because that’s simply not what it is—though that isn’t entirely unexpected, since truly great adaptations of his books seem to appear about as infrequently as Halley's Comet! However, there are still things to appreciate in it as a way to pass the time. The book was quite lengthy (I personally found it excellent), but Heston (son of Chuck) and Richter have streamlined it, condensing the key elements into a two-hour movie—down from an original three-hour version. What remains is a fast-paced story with moments of horror that subtly examines human weaknesses. With a budget larger than what’s typically given to a standard King adaptation, Needful Things also benefited from being able to assemble a strong cast, and they deliver. Sydow seems to be having a good time, clearly enjoying another opportunity to portray a charismatic villain, while Harris portrays the Sheriff as an example of hardworking honesty. Among the supporting players—a collection of unstable characters—Amanda Plummer is effective as timid waitress Nettie Cobb, playing her like a tightly wound spring ready to release, and J. T. Walsh (who always provides value as a character actor) delivers a convincing performance as a corporate bully on the verge of losing it. It's in the sheer number of characters that the film’s shortcomings become apparent. The trimming and editing inevitably lead to a lack of character development, something noticeable in both the book and its longer cut. So, the ultimate question is: can you overlook this lack of depth for a more briskly paced movie? As it stands, it demands quite a bit from viewers, and it doesn’t offer all the answers. But if you go in with reasonable expectations and are willing to answer the questions posed above with both “yes” and “no,” you might find yourself enjoying it more than you initially thought possible. 6.5/10

Source on TMDB