Winter's Bone: Review

Hollywood might have all the money and produce hundreds of forgettable movies a year, but it is the American Independent cinema that produces the more challenging and original movies, none more so than this slow-burning, atmospheric drama with a performance that will blow you away.


Ree is a 17 year old girl living in a tumble-down shack in the mountains of Ozark, Missouri. Her responsibilities include looking after her mentally ill mother and her younger brother and sister. They have very little money and rely on hands-out from their neighbours. One morning a sheriff arrives asking if they have seen her father. Arrested for cooking crystal meths, he has a court appearance coming and if he misses it, the house and all their land will be taken from them as part of his bail. Having only a week to find him, Ree begins an almost pointless search, finding that the locals in her small community won't give her the time of day, let alone help find him, and as she digs further, the more reluctant they are.

Those who like their films at a fast pace, with snappy editing and quick-fire dialogue will be greatly disappointed. For the rest, this is an incredibly satisfying piece of drama that unravels at the same pace as the lives of the people involved. Director Debra Granik has really taken her time to get every single shot right, resulting in a beautiful looking film that captures the coldness of the temperature as well as the locals. It has an almost Gothic feel to it, working well with the way the film builds.

The use of authentic accents sometimes loses in translation, but the performances from the minor characters are just as effective as the leads, and if I had to compare this to another film, I would say Deliverance springs to mind, although without the excessive violence.

If the film hinged on one performance, then this is the responsibility of Jennifer Lawrence as the tough, gritty Ree, and she is fantastic. She is almost in every scene and so she carries us along, making us question if we would continue the search after so many people tell her to stop. She is relentless, and while tough on the outside, you can understand her motives, being very protective of her family.

Ms Lawrence is an amazing actress who makes the recent pack of actress seem completely insignificant. She has the look of a young Renee Zellweger, and it would not surprise me if she didn't get a deserved Oscar nomination next year. If she doesn't then there is no justice. She will, however, be an actress to look out for in the future, and she alone is worth seeing this tremendous film that will stay with you long after you have seen it.