Winter's Bone

I don't really know where to start with this one, it was both foreign and authentic to me at the same time. It is foreign in that these people are so backwards to what we are most familiar with; they thrive on crime and poverty and intimidation and half-truths, I kept thinking to myself: "Who are these people? Where would you find them in the real world?". But it is also authentic because these people are all so human, set in front of a vast and chilling landscape.

In the middle of it all is Ree Dolly played by Jennifer Lawrence in her Oscar nominated breakout. Ree is an unlikely hero, though I'm sure she wouldn't consider herself one. Her father has a court date for cooking meth (again) and if he doesn't show, her family will lose the house because he put it up as bond. With two younger siblings and a mentally ill mother, Ree makes it her mission to find her father, dead or alive; and she does so with dignity and determination. How did she get this way? (certainly not from her parents) and I guess that's what makes this a good story, she doesn't give up, even though everyone tells her to. She doesn't get down on herself or her circumstances, she doesn't give in to all the drugs and crime around her.

The movie was slow at times for me, and it seemed like there was little to the actual plot - It was the characters that made this one; the caring neighbour, the cautious uncle, the fun-loving siblings, the sketchy town's people, the admirable Ree. It felt like I was watching some one's life, the acting is subtle and doesn't feel like actors acting, the flow is natural and nothing is forced, but that doesn't make the story any more interesting to me, it went at it's own pace and you hope the payoff will be something more dramatic, but it just is what it is. It seems like I must be missing something - it got such amazing reviews, and I thought it was just ok.

Strong characters and the on-location setting make this one worth while, but don't expect much action.