Winter's Bone (2010) R

This film will be on many critic's top ten of 2010. Although it won't be on mine, it's still a very good film. The breakout performance by Jennifer Lawrence (The Burning Plain, Garden Party) won't soon be forgotten. She plays Ree, a 17-year-old who takes care of her mother, brother and sister. She doesn't have a job and doesn't have a vehicle. They never tell us where the film takes place, but I decided to do some research. Apparently it's set in the mountains of southwestern Missouri. It's a very bleak place. It's cold, dirty and rather untraversed. It's written and directed by Debra Granik (Down to the Bone). She sets the mood and lets the actors go to work.

Ree takes care of her drugged-up mother and her little brother and little sister. She teaches the youngsters how to cook and hunt on a regular basis. She tries to have conversations with her mother but she rarely talks and can barely blink. Obviously things haven't gone the way Ree wanted, but things are about to get much, much worse.

Ree's incarcerated father gets released from jail and puts their house up for his bond. Ree hasn't seen her father in weeks, and now must settle the score. Sheriff Baskin (Garret Dillahunt) informs them about the situation. Ree is given a few short weeks to resolve the issue or they will be homeless.

She asks Teardrop (John Hawkes), her father's brother, for help. He sends her away without hesitation. He wants nothing to do with his brother. She goes around the neighborhood (if you can call it that), asking if anyone has seen her father. Nobody will say anything, but it's obvious they know something. She believes he's been murdered, but without proof she's out of luck.

Ree confides in her lone friend Gail (Lauren Sweetser), who loans her a truck for the time being. But when she sticks her nose in the wrong persons business, she gets beaten within an inch of her life. Of all people, Teardrop comes to her rescue. They decide to team up to try and find the truth. Everyone tries to steer them in the wrong direction, and wants them to just forget about the matter at hand.

You could argue that not a lot happens in this film, and you would be right. All these people are desperate, filthy, twisted, disgusting human beings. With exception to Ree, of course. I couldn't imagine leading the lives these people lead. There are two very intense moments where you think something bad is going to happen, but things never quite get out of hand. A lot of people have compared this film to Frozen River, and rightfully so. I however, enjoyed that film much more, despite better acting in this one.

Lawrence is sensational, Hawkes (Identity, Hardball) is very good, Dillahunt (The Road, No Country for Old Men) and Kevin Breznahan (Superbad, Adventureland) are forgettable. There's no doubt this is a haunting film with a good ending, but it's not controversial enough for my taste. I would've loved to see their depravity hit an all-time low. It's extremely hard to describe the plot because there isn't a whole lot that happens in the hour and 40 minutes. But, if you like independent films, then this a must see.
B-