Winter's Bone (2010)

An unflinching Ozark Mountain girl hacks through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact.

Director:

Debra Granik

Writers:

Debra Granik (screenplay), Anne Rosellini (screenplay),

Stars:

Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Garret Dillahunt

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 69 wins & 88 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer Lawrence	...	Ree
Isaiah Stone	...	Sonny
Ashlee Thompson	...	Ashlee
Valerie Richards	...	Connie
Shelley Waggener	...	Sonya
Garret Dillahunt	...	Sheriff Baskin
William White	...	Blond Milton
Ramona Blair	...	Parenting Teacher
Lauren Sweetser	...	Gail
Andrew Burnley	...	Baby Ned
Phillip Burnley	...	Baby Ned
Isaac Skidmore	...	Baby Ned
Cody Brown	...	Floyd
Cinnamon Schultz	...	Victoria
John Hawkes	...	Teardrop

Storyline

With an absent father and a withdrawn and depressed mother, 17 year-old Ree Dolly keeps her family together in a dirt poor rural area. She's taken aback however when the local Sheriff tells her that her father put up their house as collateral for his bail and unless he shows up for his trial in a week's time, they will lose it all. She knows her father is involved in the local drug trade and manufactures crystal meth, but everywhere she goes the message is the same: stay out of it and stop poking your nose in other people's business. She refuses to listen, even after her father's brother, Teardrop, tells her he's probably been killed. She pushes on, putting her own life in danger, for the sake of her family until the truth, or enough of it, is revealed.

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Plot Keywords:

court | bail | drug trade | crystal meth | mentally ill mother | 

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Taglines:

Everyone's got a secret

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Germany]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 September 2010 (UK)

Also Known As:

Lazos de sangre

Filming Locations:

Branson, Missouri, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£126,865 (UK) (24 September 2010)

Gross:

$6,531,491 (USA) (15 April 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Anonymous Content, Winter's Bone Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sergeant Russell Schalk, who played the Army recruiter, is a real-life recruiter and combat veteran of the 1st Cavalry Division. Jennifer Lawrence asked him questions in character, and he responded as if he were talking to an actual recruit.

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Goofs

Ree is wearing gloves when she gets up from the chicken coop. When she talks to Thump's wife, the gloves are off. When Thump's wife offers her the drink, the gloves are back on. When Ree drinks and returns the cup, the gloves are off again.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Ree: [waking her] Ashlee Dawn...
Ashlee: Hmmm?
[to her brother]
Ashlee: Wake up...

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Connections

Featured in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.14 (2011)

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Soundtracks

Farther Along
Traditional
Music and Lyrics by J.R. Baxter and W.B. Stevens
Performed by Marideth Sisco with Bo Brown, Van Colbert, Jessica Collins, Dennis Crider and Linda Stoffel

User Reviews

There'd better be some Oscar nominations coming for this little gem.

"But I can't forever carry them kids and my mom, not without that house."

Winter's Bone is a stark, almost documentary-like movie about a poor teenage girl named Ree in the Ozarks who supports her near-catatonic mother and two younger siblings during her meth-cooking father's many brushes with the law. When he disappears before a court date and the family's home is at risk if he doesn't show up, Ree (Jennifer Lawrence) investigates amongst the locals to find out where he might be. But, some people don't like the questions she's asking, and her life may be at risk, along with her family home. 

The plain, unobtrusive way that the camera observes events really helped draw me into the movie, to the point where I honestly forgot that I was watching a movie, at all. This effect was heightened by some excellent performances; especially from Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes (Teardrop). Lawrence had a star-making (and award worthy) performance, in my opinion. Ree is probably my favorite movie character of the year (well, perhaps next to Hit Girl), and Lawrence plays her with a realism and stubborn toughness that makes you believe that this seventeen year-old girl wouldn't wilt under the kind of circumstances that would overwhelm most adults. Her love for her family seems completely genuine, and there's never a word or a glance where she seems like she's "acting".  It's all very natural, and I was beyond impressed.

The plot was quite tense and engrossing, as Ree pursues the mystery of where her father is with a dogged intensity, despite the fact that it leads her into some very dangerous (and violent) situations. The sparse, beautiful winter settings are a perfect backdrop for the story. It's been a while since I've seen a movie that does as good a job as this one in communicating a sense of place.

Winter's Bone may not be for everyone, though. There are no shoot-outs or florid romantic scenes. The moments of happiness are small, fleeting, and poignant; like a gift of generosity from a neighbor who knows you're in need, or the quiet assurances of an older sister to her younger siblings. In Winter's Bone, our world is never in danger...but one family's certainly is. I liked it the movie the first time around, liked it even more the second, and heartily recommend it, if you're interested.