Winter’s Bone
Composite Score: 84.77
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Garret Dillahunt, Isaiah Stone, Ashlee Thompson, Valerie Richards, Shelley Waggener, Lauren Sweetser, Kevin Breznahan, and Dale Dickey
Director: Debra Granik
Writers: Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini
Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Coming of Age
MPAA Rating: R for some drug material, language, and violent content
Box Office: $13.80 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Winter’s Bone is Debra Granik’s film adaptation of Daniel Woodrell’s novel of the same name about a girl from the Ozark Mountains who has to find her father in order to save her family’s land and home from being taken away by the men who hold his bond. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence in the leading role of Ree, supported by John Hawkes as her father’s brother Teardrop, Garret Dillahunt as the local Sheriff Baskin, Isaiah Stone and Ashlee Thompson as her siblings Sonny and Ashlee, and Lauren Sweetser as her friend Gail. The film was nominated for Oscars for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Lead Actress (Lawrence), and Best Supporting Actor (Hawkes). It has been celebrated as one of the great American films of the early 2010s, notable for its honest portrayal of the culture of small Ozark communities and strong performances.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
The first time I watched Winter’s Bone, I remember being vaguely confused about what was going on and mostly just annoyed that the J-Law performance wasn’t as big and dominant as her roles in Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle had allowed her to be (yes, this film released first, but I was fifteen and not really into indie character studies like that at the time). On rewatch, I can see where my initial disappointment stemmed from and where certain audiences might still come away with similar takes to my own. However, I’m happy to say that (for me anyway) this film improves on rewatch. I felt more connected to the characters and more invested in the story this time around, and that made the whole thing an infinitely more enjoyable (still tough to watch at times because of the heaviness) film experience. Saying a film needs multiple watches to fully get it can sound like a death sentence for some filmgoers, though, and I understand if you don’t necessarily want to fully commit to the potential confusion and/or disappointment of a first-time watch.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
Winter’s Bone’s Oscar-nominated performances and the setting in which they play make it an all-time great. Hawkes gives a surprisingly moving and complex performance as Ree’s uncle, Teardrop, torn between his duty to his family and the small-time politics and pressures of their Ozark community. The more screentime he gets, the more he worms his way into your hearts, earning the support of the audience and the trust of his family all in one go. It’s a solid performance that flies somewhat under the radar, considering the way this film served as a launching pad for Lawrence’s more storied career (so far), and deserves more recognition alongside the others in his category that year – Christian Bale winning for The Fighter, Jeremy Renner for The Town, Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right, and Geoffrey Rush for The King’s Speech. That is not to downplay Jennifer Lawrence in this film at all. She more than holds her own as the film’s protagonist, presenting a more reserved but just as compelling version of that desperate to survive role that continues to pay dividends for the actress. Only twenty at the time of the film’s release, she’s believable as the teenage de facto head of her family, and her unflappable quest to find her father – dead or alive – gives the actress the chance to flex her more defiant and down-to-earth skills across from her fellow Ozark dwellers.
Winter’s Bone succeeds on the merits of its top performers and a dedication to tell an authentic story in a setting that feels real and lived-in from writer/director Granik, earning it a place among the Greatest Films of All Time. Its unique nature among mystery/coming-of-age/pseudo-adventure-thrillers can make it a tough film to engage with at times, especially for audiences more used to Lawrence’s bigger roles, but its smallness and honesty make it a film worth watching. It is currently available to stream with a DirecTV subscription or to rent on most other streaming platforms.
