Movie Review: Winter's Bone
"Winter's Bone" has an evocative title, deals with an under-depicted population, the hillbillies of Missouri, and boasts a strong performance by newcomer Jennifer Lawrence. The film tells the story of a 17 year old woman Ree Dolly (Lawrence), charged with the care of her semi-catatonic mother and two siblings, who must track down her absentee and meth-cooking father. He has posted the family's house and land as bail, and if he doesn't turn himself in, the family will be homeless.
The film is a marriage of a Walton's made-for-television episode and a "Ravages of Meth" documentary, and as such is somewhat successful. Taken separately, however, the Walton's made-for-television episode part is somewhat predictable, and the "Ravages of Meth" documentary part somewhat tame.
The film is frank about the effects of meth and other drugs on the rural poor. However, nowhere is it mentioned that Ree's family is almost certainly on some sort of governmental assistance, social security, food stamps, medicare. This omission must have been conscious, so as to not lessen Ree's cast as a pull-yourself-on-from-your-bootstraps heroine.
Jennifer Lawrence's performance is strong; she carries herself throughout with a somber, stubborn, defiant pride. Her performance is one-note because her part demands that it be so. Because of this it is difficult to judge whether she has range, or simply has a personality that fits the part. It will be interesting to watch her next few roles. Physically, she is a departure from the rail-thin, waif-like pixies of recent years--she has a fuller and more womanly figure, and handsome though not delicate features. In short, she is a welcome expansion to Hollywood's narrow definition of beauty.
Rating: C+
The film is a marriage of a Walton's made-for-television episode and a "Ravages of Meth" documentary, and as such is somewhat successful. Taken separately, however, the Walton's made-for-television episode part is somewhat predictable, and the "Ravages of Meth" documentary part somewhat tame.
The film is frank about the effects of meth and other drugs on the rural poor. However, nowhere is it mentioned that Ree's family is almost certainly on some sort of governmental assistance, social security, food stamps, medicare. This omission must have been conscious, so as to not lessen Ree's cast as a pull-yourself-on-from-your-bootstraps heroine.
Jennifer Lawrence's performance is strong; she carries herself throughout with a somber, stubborn, defiant pride. Her performance is one-note because her part demands that it be so. Because of this it is difficult to judge whether she has range, or simply has a personality that fits the part. It will be interesting to watch her next few roles. Physically, she is a departure from the rail-thin, waif-like pixies of recent years--she has a fuller and more womanly figure, and handsome though not delicate features. In short, she is a welcome expansion to Hollywood's narrow definition of beauty.
Rating: C+