Anyone seen the movie Winter's Bone?

[Vash01]

I had never heard of this movie until Jennifer Lawrence got nominated for lead actress at the Golden Globes and was mentioned in the Entertainment magazine. I don't think that movie was distributed at even one theatre where I live. I rented the DVD and thought it was pretty good. It's an artsy kind of movie. The location is Missouri- Netflix mentioned it takes place in the Ozarks. I thought it was very well done. Definitely not a commercial film and Jennifer may be the only one to get any kind of recognition for it. It did win one of the international film festival awards though- I think Sundance.

[Artemis@BC]

Loved this film, though it's probably one you have to be in the right mood for. I love films that present a segment of society you might be otherwise unfamiliar with.

I'm glad Jennifer Lawrence is getting recognition, her performance was amazing, really the highlight of the film.

The book (by Daniel Woodrell) is really good too.

[BigB08822]

I thought the writing was beyond awful. I was laughing at some of the things that were said such as "I already told you to shut up once with my mouth..." Beyond awful. I felt a lot of the writing was wrong for the characters. The acting was good, though. It just was not even close to one of my best movies of the year.

[Skate Talker]

Co-incidentally I saw a lengthy trailer for the movie on SuperChannel yesterday afternoon and wondered why I had never even heard of it. It will start playing on superchannel later this month apparently.

I kept watching the trailer but never made up my mind if it was something I thought I would want to watch or not.

[caseyedwards]

Jennifer Lawrence gave a tremendously good performance! Her and John Hawkes were both very good. It is unsparing and bleak but the acting is so good!

[znachki]

I saw this movie back in May at the Seattle International Film Festival.

Loved it. I think it was one of the best movies I've seen this year. The acting was marvelous all around and Lawrence was excellent. No flashing lights or bells and whistles, just great acting and story.

Most of the smaller supporting roles were played by locals. The house they used is actually the home of the little girl who played the younger sister.

The cinematography was beautiful and spare.

Out of the 406 films screened over 25 days at SIFF, it won two Golden Space Needle Awards - One for Debra Granik the director, and one for Jennifer Lawrence.

It also took home four "Fool Serious" awards, which are awarded by the Full Series Passholders. Director and actress, cinematography and Best Picture of the festival.

[skatingfan5]

I thought the writing was beyond awful. I was laughing at some of the things that were said such as "I already told you to shut up once with my mouth..." Beyond awful. I felt a lot of the writing was wrong for the characters.

I wonder if the screenplay deviated a lot from the novel -- the author is a native of the locale depicted in Winter's Bone. I didn't think that "the writing was wrong for the characters" -- I'm assuming that you mean their actions as well as the dialog.

[znachki]

I wonder if the screenplay deviated a lot from the novel -- the author is a native of the locale depicted in Winter's Bone. I didn't think that "the writing was wrong for the characters" -- I'm assuming the you mean their actions as well as the dialog.

IIRC from the screenwriter - who was at the Q&A after the film - I don't think they did. Also, they spent a lot of time trying to "get it right". This quote from a different source is rather telling:

Granik: Though the script had some very foreign phrases for us, Jen was familiar with some of them, having heard similar phrasing growing up.

http://friendsofhullscreen.co.uk/winters-bone-cast

[Satellitegirl]

I plan on seeing it soon. I almost rented it On Demand, the other night. My friend saw it and thought it was excellent.

[skatingfan5]

IIRC from the screenwriter - who was at the Q&A after the film - I don't think they did. Also, they spent a lot of time trying to "get it right". This quote from a different source is rather telling:

Granik: Though the script had some very foreign phrases for us, Jen was familiar with some of them, having heard similar phrasing growing up.

http://friendsofhullscreen.co.uk/winters-bone-cast

Thanks for that link to that Q&A with the director/screenwriter! The language didn't strike me as "off" but I wondered since it obviously sounded so wrong, so dreadful to someone else. To my ear, it rang rather true.

[talldrink]

I LOVED this movie. I've seen what happens with methamphetamine addiction and, although I'm not from the Ozarks, the story and Ree's character were believable!

[Japanfan]

I watched this recently on video and found it really dull. It failed to engage me and I basically lost interest and stopped watching.

However, I'd recently been watching a fabulous old historical TV series and it was really hard to switch gears.

I think I would have enjoyed the film a lot more in the theater, as I could see that the cinematography was excellent. The mood that creates is lost on video.

[CaptCrunch]

I too was really disappointed with this film. I hope oscar snubs Jennifer Lawrence and no way should it get a Best Picture nod.

[martian_girl]

Aside from being horribly depressing, I thought it was a very well made film.

[skatingfan5]

If you disliked Frozen River, you likely will not care for Winter's Bone either. They are not equivalent films, but they both deal with a similar layer of the socio-economic stratum (i.e., those near the bottom who are barely surviving). As such, they are bound to have very depressing elements -- but I liked both movies because the characters and their stories really held my attention throughout the films.

Japanfan: I know that seeing both films in a theater, not on my tiny 19" TV, greatly added to the experience.

[Vash01]

I watched Critics Choice Awards on TV. Winter's Bone was one of the 10 (?)movies nominated for Best Picture. Not a surprise. It will be a surprise if it gets an Oscar nomination, since it is an unknown film (though Jennifer Lawrence has a chance for Oscar nom too).

[znachki]

I watched Critics Choice Awards on TV. Winter's Bone was one of the 10 (?)movies nominated for Best Picture. Not a surprise. It will be a surprise if it gets an Oscar nomination, since it is an unknown film (though Jennifer Lawrence has a chance for Oscar nom too).

Don't forget that the Oscar's now nominate 10 films for Best Picture. So, it could very well be on the list. There are a lot of films that are "unknown" that make the lists - "The Hurt Locker" anyone? In other words, they haven't opened in wide release. Or weren't seen by a lot of people. Which of course, is one of the reasons why there are now 10 films.

Not saying that it will will win - but I wouldn't be surprised to see it nominated.

[BigB08822]

With 10 films being nominated I almost feel like it is a lock for a nomination. Maybe not a lock but I would be more surprised if it weren't nominated than if it was...make sense? I, of course, disagree with it being nominated but I am only one opinion.

[Japanfan]

If you disliked Frozen River, you likely will not care for Winter's Bone either. They are not equivalent films, but they both deal with a similar layer of the socio-economic stratum (i.e., those near the bottom who are barely surviving). As such, they are bound to have very depressing elements -- but I liked both movies because the characters and their stories really held my attention throughout the films.

I loved Frozen River, but didn't like Winter's Bone, and saw them both on video. Frozen River immediately draw me in and I quickly came to care about both of the characters. Winter's Bone had the opposite effect.

[skatingfan5]

I loved Frozen River, but didn't like Winter's Bone, and saw them both on video. Frozen River immediately draw me in and I quickly came to care about both of the characters. Winter's Bone had the opposite effect.

I can certainly see that -- liking Frozen River probably doesn't correlate that much to liking Winter's Bone. I think the reverse might hold, though. Winter's Bone is both bleaker and less accessible than Frozen River, with fewer sympathetic characters. Frozen River had a relationship (several actually) at its core; Winter's Bone had its central character on her desperate, mostly solo mission.