While my Mom is still here, we decided we need to watch a Stephen King thriller. My Dad has been trying to get me to see Needful Things for years. I’ve heard the premise is the devil gives you what you want, but there is always a price to be paid. The idea in a way is like the episode in the Twilight Zone “It’s What You Need” where a peddler gives you exactly what you need at that moment. This unlike that, has an ominous twist.

An antique dealer named Leland Gaunt comes to Castle Rock, a small town in Maine. His shop is called Needful things. The people who happen upon his store are given deals if they can’t pay. They have to do “pranks or tricks) to certain people in town. The tricks sow distrust, wrath, corruption, and such among the citizens of Castle Rock. Mr. Gaunt has an immediate connection with everyone and brings out the worst in each and everyone of them.

Also, he doesn’t end the deal after one prank. He uses people who are far away from problems to commit the deeds so they can pin it on someone who they have an actual qualm with. There are deadly consequences to these seemingly innocent actions (although not all are innocent). It’s slowly, but not so subtly is revealed that Gaunt is the Devil and everyone is guilty. He spins the ideas of sin freely and it’s up to people to take the bait. He doesn’t push it, the offers are tempting.

Only the Sheriff Alan Pangborn seems to be suspicious. As terrible things happen to the citizens of the town, Leland Gaunt stands by to enjoy the carnage. They all soon realize that Leland has been pulling the strings and he leaves with a bang. I’ve read that some light comparisons are Faust (classic deal with the Devil), but this is far more deadly than Göethe had written. Stephen King has used Sheriffs as the voice of reason before (Storm of the Century) and they seem to be the ones who suffer the most. He also has a penchant for using Satan and other demonic presences in his novels (The Dark Tower, The Stand, Storm of the Century). As per usual as well, everything is in Maine (I’m legit scared to go there now). All of these things are what I like to name Kingisms. Even the characters names seem to mirror his stories. For instance Alan Pangborn, as if he was put in this world to suffer.

The story is great, the ending is cheesy, the acting is pretty good (Ed Harris and Max Von Sydow) and you have the usual Kingisms. It wasn’t too gory, had a few bloody moments (if you’re traumatized by animal death don’t watch this). I think it’s worth a watch and is a pretty good time for two hours.