Winters Bone
Writers: Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini (screenplay).
Novel: Daniel Woodrell
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence (Ree), Isaiah Stone (Sonny), Ashlee Thompson (Ashlee), Valerie Richards (Connie), Shelley Waggener (Sonya), Garret Dillahunt (Sheriff Baskin), Lauren Sweetser (Gail), John Hawkes (Teardrop), Kevin Breznahan (Little Arthur), and Dale Dickey (Merab).
Winter's Bone best motion picture of the year in 2011, also the lowest grossing film nominated since The Dresser (1983). That being said let's jump right into the review, this film has so many emotional experiences, i will try to get to all of them.
The story is about a 17 year old girl faced with many challenges, one of which taking care of her siblings, along with their mentally ill mother. The beginning of the film, Ree (Jennifer Lawrence) is told by an officer that her father, Jessup is due to be in court in a week, his whereabouts are unknown. The property is put up for collateral for his bail. One week, before the next hearing, if he doesn't turn up, Ree will lose her home. On her search for answers, she discovers many folks from the Ozarks, which the film is set in. The mountain people in that location do not want Ree questioning the whereabouts of her father. The town is riddled with drugs, Meth cooking, a organized distribution of product which settles deep within the families that live in the Ozarks. Silence between the mountain people, a chain that keeps the money flow tight, just enough to keep businesses afloat, at least for awhile. these folks do not want strangers or anyone, specifically family asking questions about private situations.
This film brings up family, what is family? what happens when a bad father, makes bad decisions which effects his family. Ree (Lawrence) has to take care of her younger siblings, that is very hard for a teen to handle or comprehend the many stages of parenthood. imagine having no choice but to grow up or everything around you collapses. Ree had to face parenthood challenges straight on, but what if your own mother deemed with Mental illness, has lost her ability to communicate. This young girl hopes and dreams are dead upon arrival, sounds a bit harsh but put in this kind of position at that young age, kills any hope from the start.
Teardrop (John Hawkes) the brother of Jessup Dolly, the only one in that town that is willing to help Ree. the involvement has to be very little, keeping this together and not getting involved is the proverbial shield this man has. Loves his family, but in order to keep going in his hard life, keeping things normal is all he really wants. Peel off the layers and you get a guy with problems, an unlikely hero. Teardrop keeps his women in line, but couldn't keep Ree out; Ree is his brother's daughter, and somehow he must help.
Merab (Dale Dickey) a hard women with just keeping business right, until Ree (Lawrence) decides to ask around, about her father. Her intentions are clear, she is hard nosed for a reason. The family business must run without any complications, or she is faced with no money coming in for her family. Ree is in her face trying to get answers, but a beating is due, the same girl that questions everything. Merab is one of those character's you want to hate, but its goes beyond that. this women breaks down Ree but the reason behind it is pure and simple, keep her away from finding out the truth about her father. This hard nosed women, behind her husbands back helps Ree find the answers she seeks. Answers sometimes are like shard razor blades, it hurts, a pain so sharp that it hits you hard. the reality of this women helping Ree is zero to almost none. Merab helps Ree because of the strength she has demonstrated. These two well written characters work off each other. One character is searching for answers no matter what the cost, the other protecting her family, no matter what the cost. Detailed characters, both driven, some are misguided, but in the end, respect comes through for both Merab and Ree.
The film has many layers, like an onion, peel back the layers and you get wonderful characters in a beautiful detailed movie. The characters are people in the mountains living a very hard life, these folks live, love, but their standards are very different. The world that they live in is hard, a dark place that society has abandoned. These mountain people enjoy living life like no other, but what is considered normal to them is not the same for society. All the characters keep their issues, business to themselves, just another way of making money. What looks like a rundown shack, is a mansion to them. Who are we to judge, as odd as it looks its a hard life. A big tribute to the author of the novel, Daniel Woodrell. This wonderful story of a different place, surrounded with negative situations, but are conquered with hope; the focus and the main attribute that drives Ree and the people in the Ozarks.
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