MPAA Rating: R for drug material, language and violent content.
Although, for the life in me, it didn't seem all that druggie, vulgar or violent.
Director or producer must've pushed hard to get this one kicked up to R.

Production Budget $2,000,000 est.
Theatrical Performance Total US Gross $6,267,070
Home Market Performance US DVD Sales: $1,883,059
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2010/WBONE.php

94% by Tomatometer Critics
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10012136-winters_bone/


The Movie
There are lousy movies you'd be embarrased to recommend but you'd watch more than once.
And then there are movies you call excellent even though you'll likely only watch them once.
Winter's Bone is the latter.

If you've the mind for such, it's akin to walking up on a roadkill large animal, observing the nature of injuries, identifying anatomy and physiology that should never see the light of day, assessing a likely cause of death - brain or bleed, looking for scavenger marks and any other gruesome detail.
Interesting, but not pleasant.
Nothing to get all excited over.
Nothing you really need to do more than once.

This is a well crafted production of a miserable fictional experience.
It's not entertaining.
It's not enlightening.
There's only a single moment of humor (when the boy sneezes).


The tiny scene bits of the little kids picking up puppies & holding hatchlings, the handling a hand carved horse from the never-seen daddy are touching - but that's as good as it gets.
The acting is excellent.
The setting is dismal but the cinematography is great.
The day for night camera work is impressive.
The sparse spoken language relies a lot upon a great deal of what's known or understood.
I love the detail of ever-present dirty fingers.
I love the idea of the "Mature Mothers Mafia" taking Ree to her father.
Not a single person was killed on screen.
Only one fight/assault.
The emotional range is impressive considering there's none of the traditional blood and guts bonanza for a R movie.

This is just an uncomfortable film to watch because the world of the seventeen year old heroine, Ree Dolly, has a constant, understated threat of unrecoverable tragedy at any random moment.
There's not a single scene of absolute refuge for her. She could be raped or shot by family or stranger at any moment. Her little siblings could fall victim to accident or malice at fate's whim.
Upon subsequent viewings those feelings are absent.

I can't say that I've ever met a young woman as hard and mature as Ree, but she is wonderful,


perhaps ahead of Lisbeth Salander, on a different level.


Too many films are shot in winter's starkness for no particular reason (LAW ABIDING CITIZEN or SPLICE). This one is the only one I recall where it adds depth of atmospheric depression.

For the life in me I don't understand why she doesn't just sell the timber and leave with her family. I get it that it's important to her. I just don't "get it".

If you want a miserable movie sandwich, bookend this with THE MESSENGER. Another excellent movie I'll likely not watch again.


The DVD/Blueray Extras
Two things compete for best aspect of the Director and Cinematographer commentary:
One, they are incredibly respectful and sensitive to the local people that bring so much authenticity to the production.
Two, it's fun watching city folk in the country! OMG, people are so ignorant!

I was impressed by how the DP/cinematographer is very much aware of elements beyond his scope of specialty. Very much aware of audio concerns and story. Not just making pretty pictures.
There was GREAT deal of reliance upon local/regional acting & musical talent. Nice.
They made a big deal over researching on how to build authentic sets, rather than just utilize available homes. No reason really given why. But they did a pretty good job, IMO.
Two to three years of pre-production before the 24 day shoot. Wow.
I have a hard time determining how much of their commentary conversation is the real deal to them (they sound like overly sensitive idiots that just fell off the turnip truck) or if they're hamming it up for the audience's benefit.
Many homes and buildings provided multiple rooms that doubled for "different locations".
They get all excited over back lit /haloed hair or breeze blown hair that moves and breath condensation.
Audiences appreciate their own change in perception of the character "Teardrop" due to his reveal of character values rather than some redemptive change of character through an event. AKA, no character arc. Only reveal.
I was introduced to the idea of "The Dark Fairy Tale". Interesting.

These last two points are interesting:
1 - Banjo was not in script - improv by director
2 - There was a debate on "Teardrop"s fate, meaning that it was open for debate.

So let's consider "The Math of Deleted Scenes" in any film.
A 90 to 120 page script = equivalent in screentime minutes.
If there are fifteen minutes of deleted scenes that means that there were fifteen pages of script that were improvised or debated resulting in change or deletion/replacement.
The writer's screenplay is flexible.
Very fluid.
Story structure is important.
Weenie "moving rice grains about the plate" is not.
Cool.

---

Click there for => Screenplay
After having watched the director's commentary I can assure you this is a post-production transcript of the final edit and NOT the actual beginning screenplay.

Ray,

Thanks for the extensive post on a fine film.
There's little left to say but that it's one of my personal best movies of the year.
I was struck by the acting, script and cinematography.
It felt authentic, but never dull or maudlin.
For me it seemed like a modern weaponless Western at time.
Ree would go to "town to town" in search of her father.
Remove the revenge element and Rooster Cogburn from True Grit.
There's a similar vibe, sans the spicy dialogue and humor.
I hope the writer/director's next project hits the cinema sooner than later.

E.D.

Finally got my Netflix back and finally got around to seeing this EXCELLENT film.

By most standards, this ain't the kind of flick I appreciate, watch, or go to bat for.

But, c'mon...how couldn't I?  It's clear that it's everything I appreciate in a film...it's real, it's gritty, it's unpredictable, It hangs its balls out in front of it, it's damn dark and brutal, and it delivers on everything it sets out to accomplish.

Ray, Hell of a Pro review here...but I do beg to differ a bit, as I didn't see it as so "un-entertainment" as you did...or most of the reviews tend to say.  The acting is all spectacular...right down to the 2 little kids.  I have to wonder if these are all "real" actors, or just a bunch of scumbags hired on set.  I jest...maybe...but seriously, every single character brought it, and made me believe 100% in what I was watching.

Obviously not for everyone or even near mainstream, but again, these folks delivered on everything they were after.

If you're a real movie fan, watch this on Netflix streaming and please, give it what it deserves...at least a 3 star rating - I gave it 4, and was close to going for a very rare 5 star rating, cause it probably deserved it.

Got to say...there were several times I was close to tears, and that's again, very rare for me.

I do wish it went a bit further and didn't end "so Hollywood", but then again, these characters are so far from Hollywood, it gives all the Texas Chainsaw movies a bad name..or is that a good name?  Not sure.

GREAT FLICK!  CHECK IT OUT!!!

Yeah, it's a tough, basic tale that delivers on its premise with an unflinching, straightforward narrative.  No tricks or gimmicks, just a well-told story.

And the screenplay is a 73 page study in simplicity.

http://www.mypdfscripts.com/screenplays/winters-bone

Everything's been said already, but I loved this movie, too. It was very unpredictable and I was surprised it didn't do better than it did.

THUMBS UP on this one!

Bored me to death, tbh.

Drama's just don't work on me. Feel like I've seen them the minute they start.