With her heroin-dealing father on the run and her mother one step above catatonic, Ree has dropped out of school to raise her two younger siblings in a very poor rural region of the Ozarks in Missouri. Barely getting by as it is, Ree is told that her father put up his land and house as his bail, and unless she can produce him before the trial date, Ree and her family will be out of a home. She begins to travel the circles her father was involved with, but his former colleagues are not eager to help. Stars Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes, directed by Debra Granik, and based on a novel by Daniel Woodrell.
Movies about the extremely poor in America are never very popular even when they're pretty good, which Winter's Bone is. The movie is a good story, one that showcases a strong young woman character without getting hung up about it. Jennifer Lawrence's Ree shows in every scene a tenacity despite being so tired, worn out and downtrodden. While the plot of the film keeps the viewer interested, there's also shades of Ree wishing she could get back the standard seventeen-year-old life she had to give up which add a whole other element of tragedy. Ree is fighting extremely hard to keep her family just above water. Even if she saves her house, things won't get any easier for her. Lawrence is clearly the star, and though most other characters flit in and out of the plot, they are well-played by great character actors including John Hawkes, Garret Dillahunt, Dale Dickey and Sheryl Lee. I'm looking forward to watching Debra Granik's only other feature: Down to the Bone which also has the word "bone" in it.
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