Winter’s Bone finally opened here in the hinterlands. But it was worth the wait. Jennifer Lawrence plays Ree Dolly, a 17-year-old girl who’s caring for a mentally ill mother, and two children. Her father, a brewer of crystal meth, has disappeared. But, before he vanished, he used the pitiful house his family lives in as bond for his bail. If he doesn’t show up for his court hearing, the family will be evicted. This sends Ree on a search for her wayward father. The people of the Ozarks, the setting for this grim film, are suspicious and vicious. Ree takes a lot of abuse before the end of this movie. The strong cast and the meticulous plotting that follows Daniel Woodrell’s book of the same name captures a world that is seldom portrayed in movies. When Winter’s Bone shows up in your neighborhood, go see it. This is a terrific movie! GRADE: A
A movie where everything worked together: cast, director, story, cinematography, music, atmosphere. They may not have been able to capture his voice, but everything else is there. And a truly brilliant book will be read by that many more people.
Winter’s Bone impressively draws on Daniel Woodrell’s book to create a vision of a world that I’ve rarely seen, Patti. Such menace, such hopelessness! This is a great movie!
I wonder why all the better books and films seem to be so dark these days? Is it a trend, a reflection of our culture, or am I just noticing something that’s been true for a long time?
You’re probably right about the darkness of current fiction being a reflection of our troubled culture, Rick. There isn’t a lot of Good News right now.
It is easier to create great drama from bad news. Remember the lesson of Anna Karenina.
You’re right about WINTER’S BONE having plenty of drama, Patti. Such simple elements produce such great emotional effects!