Winter's Bone

I found it a very solid drama that appeals to a wide variety of age groups. The main character is played by a quite attractive girl as well, which adds to the enjoyment of the film. Overall, highly recommended but don't expect it a life altering masterpiece.

The plot is very simple: it is about a girl who needs to prove that her dad is unable to pay his debs so that she can remain in her home with her two younger brother and sister.

I found interesting the depiction of poverty in the United States. As a Brazilian I didn't know that such extreme poverty also existed in the United States.

SPOILER: "But I can't forever carry them kids and my mom, not without that house."

Winter's Bone is a stark, almost documentary-like movie about a poor teenage girl named Ree in the Ozarks who supports her near-catatonic mother and two younger siblings during her meth-cooking father's many brushes with the law. When he disappears before a court date and the family's home is at risk if he doesn't show up, Ree (Jennifer Lawrence) investigates amongst the locals to find out where he might be. But, some people don't like the questions she's asking, and her life may be at risk, along with her family home. 

The plain, unobtrusive way that the camera observes events really helped draw me into the movie, to the point where I honestly forgot that I was watching a movie, at all. This effect was heightened by some excellent performances; especially from Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes (Teardrop). Lawrence had a star-making (and award worthy) performance, in my opinion. Ree is probably my favorite movie character of the year (well, perhaps next to Hit Girl), and Lawrence plays her with a realism and stubborn toughness that makes you believe that this seventeen year-old girl wouldn't wilt under the kind of circumstances that would overwhelm most adults. Her love for her family seems completely genuine, and there's never a word or a glance where she seems like she's "acting".  It's all very natural, and I was beyond impressed.

The plot was quite tense and engrossing, as Ree pursues the mystery of where her father is with a dogged intensity, despite the fact that it leads her into some very dangerous (and violent) situations. The sparse, beautiful winter settings are a perfect backdrop for the story. It's been a while since I've seen a movie that does as good a job as this one in communicating a sense of place.

Winter's Bone may not be for everyone, though. There are no shoot-outs or florid romantic scenes. The moments of happiness are small, fleeting, and poignant; like a gift of generosity from a neighbor who knows you're in need, or the quiet assurances of an older sister to her younger siblings. In Winter's Bone, our world is never in danger...but one family's certainly is. I liked the movie the first time around, enjoyed it even more the second, and heartily recommend it if you're interested.

Greetings again from the darkness. A double award winner at the Sundance Film Festival, this film is based on Daniel Woodrell's novel and is directed by Debra Granik. It's opening sequence slaps the viewer with the bleak unforgivingness of life in the backwoods of the Ozarks. This is land of people that time has passed by.

The basic premise of the story is that 17 year old Ree Dolly (played by Jennifer Lawrence) is responsible for raising her brother and sister and caring for her mentally-blank mother while maintaining a mostly positive outlook on the present and future. Reality strikes again when the local sheriff arrives to inform her that her missing, meth-lab running father has an upcoming court date. He used their land and house as collateral for his latest bond. If he fails to show, they will lose their home. Instead of breaking down, Ree pledges to find him and starts out on a hazardous journey, unlike we have seen on screen.

This community of mountain people are distrusting of outsiders, but stunningly, are just as paranoid around insiders and even family members. Their way of life seems to depend on pure independence, even though they all seemed intertwined in the same illegal activities and daily quest for survival. Some kind of odd code exists - ask nothing, give nothing and get rid of any obstacles.

The driving forces of the story are Ree and her constant hope and courage, and her bond to her dad's only brother, Teardrop played chillingly by John Hawkes. Teardrop tries to toughen up Ree and get her to accept her plight, while Ree constantly shows his there is reason to plow forward.

The film is very well written and the local filming brings a harsh reality that was crucial to the film's success. Additionally, I was stunned at the fierceness displayed by Jennifer Lawrence as Ree. Her performance reminded me of my first exposure to the talents of Meryl Streep (The Deer Hunter) and Evan Rachel Wood (Thirteen). Talk about powerful and exciting ... what she did with this role vaults her immediately into a very small group of actresses who can carry a movie with their presence. I am anxiously awaiting her next appearance - a Jody Foster project.

I also want to mention the music in the film. The vocalist, Marideth Sisco, is also the vocalist in the living room band who makes an appearance in one scene. Her voice truly captures the balance of hope and acceptance of plight. This is not a movie for everyone, but it is fascinating and hardcore.

Just back from seeing this at the Edinburgh Film Festival, and at the Q&A afterwards, the director, Debra Granik (refreshingly eloquent and well beyond the usual wanting to thank the world and his wife for being here at EIFF) described her film's subject matter as 'hard scrabble'. Although she wasn't referring to a Russian Roulette version of the popular literacy board game (now there's an idea for a film...), it was an evocative description of the tough slice of backwater American life served up here. The basic storyline – a teenagers plight to save her dependent family from imminent homelessness because of the actions of an errant and now-absent father – felt both authentic and compelling, as did the way the local community closed in around her, meting out both violence and support in equal measure.

Using grey and oppressive colour tones, the entire film is shot in a bleak wooded landscape, where the grizzle-bearded men all look like they've just left the set of 'Southern Comfort', and the straggle-haired, world-weary lined faces of the women add to the unspoken sense of the harsh reality of life here. I doubt they see many tourists in this neck of the woods, and at the same time, the film steers well clear of the 'and if they did, they'd probably eat them' stereotype. I liked the sparse and effective use of bluegrass-folky-type music, which cut through, and gave some relief to, an otherwise fairly unremitting sense of hopelessness.

Although the subject matter is an uncompromising reality-check to much of the superficial Hollywood drivel that fills our multiplexes, this is not a hard watch. At its' heart, it's a good story, well-told, with excellent central performances (particularly John Hawkes and Jennifer Lawrence) and an open-hearted sense of the local community here, in spite of their bread-line existence. 7/10.

Rarely do I have the privilege to see a film that is so raw, so real, that it takes over your senses and becomes much more than just a great movie - it becomes an experience or an event. "Winter's Bone" is the little movie of 2010 that does just that - it takes over your senses because what is happening on the screen is unabashedly and uncommonly real and not-Hollywood like that you become immersed in this rarely- explored world of the Ozarks.

Using a novel by Daniel Woodrell, director Debra Granik and co- screenwriter Anna Rosellini crafts a stark tale about a teenage Ozark girl who is forced to find her missing father before she and her two siblings get thrown out into the wild, due to dad putting up the house as a bond for his bail. The script is beautifully written, with very natural dialog throughout, you'll feel like you're there watching them. Every line has a meaning and is not without purpose, the main characters fleshed out in detail without excessive dialog overshadowing the character itself. The story is logical and extremely believable, and makes for a tense experience during the film. There are no clichéd Hollywood subplots and the story couldn't be more direct than a bullet to the heart. This is neo-noir at its finest.

I can't say more about the actors, because they are all excellent in their own unique way. Especially and most notably Jennifer Lawrence as the protagonist Ree Dolly. Now Ree's father is missing and mother gone sick, and she has to take care of her two siblings all by herself. To make matter worse she has been taking some flak because of her family name's notoriety due to her father's mistakes, but she remains steadfast and strong, unmoved like a rock. She learns how to be responsible and independent all by herself, and she is a tough character whose spirit shall never be broken, however hopeless and desolate her situation is (perhaps that is what built her character in the first place in absence of her parents). If Ree knows what to do, she does it. If she doesn't, she'll ask someone for help. She's being honest and not just smart. Keep in mind that this is an Ozark girl we're seeing on the screen, but there has very rarely been a hero(ine) that is so daring, brave and real, that the audience is firmly placed on her side as soon as trouble starts brewing. Ree has to face both the Ozark wilderness and the shady underground, both of which can cause serious trouble for her (and she does get into it). All Ree wants is to make sure her brother and sister have a roof to sleep under every night. To me, that selflessness and the love of her family that drives her makes her one of the most memorable and greatest female film heroine of recent times.

Which comes back to Jennifer Lawrence. She is absolutely terrific and perfect as Ree, a real knockout of a performance. She perfectly displays a balance of emotions and expresses her feelings with her face and not just explaining everything straight out of her mouth like so many hero(in)es. This is a true blue breakout performance for her and I honestly think she deserves many Best Lead Actress awards for her performance, and not just Best Breakout star. I've seen many movies and Lawrence's performance beats many previous Oscar winners' performances hands-down. Kudos also to other supporting actors, especially John Hawkes as Ree's uncle Teardrop, who delivers a guilt-ridden, burnt-out depiction of a nearly lost soul.

The Ozark landscape in the movie is beautiful to watch, but it emits a haunting, bleak presence. Something dark and mysterious but at the same time so simple and real. It is astounding the way Granik films these scenes to deliver the raw power and authenticity these images can deliver. It's like looking at a painting that comes to life. The interior of the buildings (and around them) are quite messy at times but it shows just how bleak the situation these people have to face every day. Not a pretty thought for us "normal" people, but then again what is normal when all Ree wants is to keep her family safe and nothing more? Kudos to the production designer and cinematographer for creating and/or choosing a unique setting that not all moviegoers can experience everyday. The atmospheric, ambient music pulls you in even further into this strange yet quietly dangerous world.

2010 has been a dull year for mainstream movies, but among the little known ones this could very well be the best one. I really hope the Academy doesn't overlook this like so many unfortunate movies before. It's a bit too soon for me to say but this may not only the film of the year, but also a true American masterpiece of a landscape that is nearly neglected by the public. A must see.

Overall rating: 94/100