Winter's Bone was 2010's little indie film that could. It didn't have major studio backing or big name stars, but still managed to score numerous accolades, including a nomination for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards. Not bad for a movie budgeted at $2 million, which probably wouldn't have even paid the catering bill for some of its fellow nominees.
Much like 2008's Frozen River, Winter's Bone features a strong-willed female protagonist and highlights a region rarely shown in media through a story about the people who have fallen through the cracks of modern society. Jennifer Lawrence gives a star-making performance as 17-year old Ree Dolly, who lives amidst the Ozark Mountains of rural Missouri. Ree has taken on the tremendous responsibility of raising her younger siblings and caring for a mentally ill mother. Family bonds are tested when they learn Ree's father, Jessup (a known cook for the local meth labs) skipped bail after a recent arrest. The wayward patriarch had paid that bail by putting the family home up as collateral. If he does not make his court date, the county will repossess the house and the Dollys will be thrown out on their asses. Ree embarks on a harrowing odyssey in search of her missing father, not so much for fear of his well-being, but for fear of losing a roof over their heads.
Ree's journey takes her deep into the backwoods of this loose-knit community filled with dangerous and unpredictable individuals, many of whom are her family and neighbors. Make no mistake about it; these people aren't the folksy, salt of the earth types from a Steinbeck novel (or even The Dukes of Hazzard). Most of them are the creepy, rape-you-in-the-woods types who are now running meth, instead of moonshine. Perhaps the most intimidating of the bunch is Ree's uncle, Teardrop, played with quiet menace by Deadwood star John Hawkes. His true feelings and motivations remain ambiguous for much of the film. Does he know where his brother is? Does he even care about his brother? You're never quite sure if Teardrop is there to help Ree or strangle her.
Director Debra Granik and D.P. Michael McDonough shot Winter's Bone with the digital RED camera, giving the film a crisp look that captures every bump and wart of the landscape. The world of Ree Dolly is filled with as many dichotomies as its inhabitants. There's a haunting beauty to the rural area heightened by the gray-toned color palette. The look of the picture actually matches up well to the post-apocalyptic wastelands of The Road. It is also reminiscent of the beautiful bleakness of Roger Deakins' work on the Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men and True Grit. Speaking of which, Winter's Bone could almost act as a contemporary companion to the critically acclaimed Western. Much like Mattie Ross, Ree undergoes a harsh coming-of-age quest, but without the assistance of Jeff Bridges or Matt Damon.
Ree is on her own when it comes to searching for her missing dad and shepherding her family. Jennifer Lawrence is undeniably superb in the role, displaying all the toughness and vulnerability needed. Lawrence (who will be seen next as the young Mystique in X-Men: First Class) certainly needed to be tough after learning how to fire a rifle, chop firewood, and skin squirrels for the part. While Granik doesn't shoot the film in a documentary style, there is a documentary feel in much of it thanks to the naturalism displayed in the scenes with Ree and her little brother and sister. When the kids notice a neighbors' smokehouse full of food, she imparts a tidbit of wisdom, "Never ask for what ought to be offered."
Granik and co-writer Anne Rosellini based the screenplay on the 2006 novel by Daniel Woodrell. They have penned a refreshingly unique take on people some would derisively refer to as hillbillies. The film does not simplify its subjects into mere caricatures nor does it descend into an overly sentimentalized and pedantic study of "simple folk." Some of the characters may be odious human beings, but Granik does not demonize or lionize their way of life. It is what it is and is presented in a realistic manner.
Winter's Bone is an exceptional picture. It is a gripping drama, a crime thriller, and a modern day Grimm Brothers' fairy tale, all rolled into one. Without a doubt, one of the best films of 2010.
Rating: **** (*****)
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