Here’s the thing: I’ve been hesitant to write a review of this film. I’ve been talked into finally doing so, but it is with some trepidation. While I’ve never been to the Ozark Mountains in Missouri, I was born and raised in a town that feels/looks eerily similar (minus the mass meth consumption/production – at least according to my childhood memories).About halfway though watching I had to take a smoke break, not because I wasn’t enjoying the film, but because I felt like I was about to crawl out of my skin. I was stranding outside and said to J “Something about this film is……weird. No, that’s not the right word…….” “Familiar” he proposed. Yep, that’s it. Right before my self imposed break the main character had just called out for her little sister. Her little sister’s name is my little sister’s name – exactly. I don’t know. I guess it might have just cut a little too close to home?
Anyway, that’s the reason it’s taken so long to get this all out. Months later after viewing my thoughts are still a bit jumbled, but I’ll try my best to do the film justice. Onward and upward.
Adapted from Daniel Woodrell’s excellent novel by the same name, Debra Granik (also the director) and Anne Rosellini’s screenplay is beautiful. The story revolves around 17-year-old Ree Dolly’s search for her father, who has gone missing after using their home as collateral to get out of jail (meth is the new moonshine?). Her quest to find her father immediately runs into serious resistance, first from fearsome Uncle Teardrop, then the neighbors who warn that her questioning is “a real good way to end up eat by hogs”, and finally from Merab, the psycho-scary wife of the local boss of meth operations, Thump, advertised as the baddest mofo in the land. But evidently Merab does Thump’s dirty work (at least when it comes to the fairer gender) because it is she (along with her female cohorts) who beats Ree to an inch of her life and warn her to stop snopping around. And Merab has good reason to stop Ree. Turns out that daddy ratted out the other meth dealers and paid for it with his life. This is bad news for Ree because if daddy doesn’t show up in court the family will lose their house.
This story is 100% Ree’s story and we slowly find out she is a genuine anomaly among all the crazies, druggies and killers. A figure of grace, beauty, intelligence and resourcefulness who, despite not benefitting from any parental guidance herself (dad has been in and out of jail for years and mom is mentally ill and cationic), has assumed the role of family matriarch and taken responsibility for the upbringing of her younger brother and sister.While the majority of the movie is very moody, there are nice periods of lightness to break-up the gloom; a wonderfully shot scene of folk music singing with banjo playing and the exceptional scene in which Ree is teaching her brother and sister to spell, count, and perhaps most important for survival, how to shoot a rifle. My favorite moment in the entire film comes during this scene when Ree tells her brother about the culture in which they live and says “Never ask for what ought to be offered.”
Director Debra Granik is a big emerging talent. The film has a wonderful authenticity that is derived from using local residents as actors, but most importantly from having the director immerse herself in the culture for two years before shooting the film. Her directing is just crazy good and I’m of the opinion that all young actress should with her if they can. They most certainly can learn a lot. Michael McDonough’s cinematography is also worth mention as he was able to effectively and beautifully capture the bleakness of the environment.
On to the pinnacle of
the film – the strength of it’s actors. Simply put, Jennifer Lawrence is a revelation as Ree. Jennifer Lawrence became Ree Dolly. She buried herself in this role. And the amount of conviction and gumption that girl brought to her character just blew me away. John Hawke’s Teardrop is incredible. When he is on screen he is only one you are watching, even if he’s doing nothing. And finally, Dale Dickey’s Merab is sublime. Her performance is seeped in an aura of violence that invests every scene she’s in with a sickening expectation that things could turn ugly very very quickly. (This feeling is never more powerful immediately upon Ree’s return to speak to Merab – I was watching the scene though the slits in my fingers.)Make no mistake: Winter’s Bone is a film about poverty and desperation but it never exploits its characters or engages in manipulation or sentimentality. It most assuredly can be tough to watch at times, it however, is not as some critics have said “poverty porn.”
And ultimately, it is a reminder how astonishing the things people are capable of when their survival or way of life is threatened.
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Winter’s Bone is a rich, satisfying film that more than deserves the accolades it has been receiving. Back in January at Sundance it walked away with the Jury Prize for dramatic competition as well as the screenwriting award. The film, it’s director and it’s actors are on most of the critics lists to garner some Oscar nominations and it’s more recent awards seem to support that as well. Last month it was the big winner at the Sprit Awards with 7 nominations including Best Feature, Best Director, Best Screen Play, Best Cinematography, Best Lead Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Best Supporting Actor (John Hawke), and Best Supporting Actress (Dale Dickey). It’s also won at the Gotham Awards (Best Ensemble Cast, Best Film, and Breakthrough - Jennifer Lawrence) and the Seattle International Film Festival (Best Actress – Jennifer Lawrence and Best Director) and as the awards season progresses should rake in numerous other nominations/wins.
Winter's Bone - 4 Stars
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