Winter's Bone
I haven’t seen The King’s Speech yet, but undoubtedly will because of the universally good reviews. I’ve heard enough about it to know it’s a story that takes place on an important stage with important people, and that it was filmed on a large budget with major league actors. I couldn’t help thinking about it this evening as my wife and I watched a low-budget movie about unimportant people in a remote place.
Winter’s Bone reportedly was filmed for two million dollars-- what I fancy would be the catering budget for most Hollywood blockbusters. I didn’t recognize a single actor in it, and many of the characters were local extras. There was no sex. There was no political message. The few violent scenes were ungratuitous. The whole story takes place over a few days time in the modern-day Missouri Ozarks.
I wanted to watch this movie because it was made in an area I'm familiar with, not far from where I grew up, and about people I dealt with many, many times during my career. For those of you who don’t know it, southern Missouri is the meth capital of the United States, where lethal makeshift labs have supplanted the hillbilly still tenfold. Winter’s Bone is a small story about the innocent victims of that culture.
Two minutes in it was apparent someone knew what they were doing. I firmly believe there was no set construction at all—the filmakers simply leased a few residences as they were and started shooting. The home interiors, the home exteriors, the yards, the vehicles, the dress, the dialogue…all spot on. The images of smiling malnourished kids bouncing on a trampoline beside a ramshackle cabin, of a chained mutt with its ribs showing, of a rusting satellite dish in the bare dirt yard caused my wife and I to share a knowing smile. She’d witnessed that scene repeatedly as a rural home health nurse.
What I liked about this movie was its straighforward, uncondescending view of the characters and culture. Poverty was given no dignity. The producers didn’t even seize the chance to portray an army recruiter as a manipulative buffoon—something no Hollywood production could ever resist. This is also the kind of story where much is said with silence and subtle posturing that might be lost on folks not familiar with deep country Missourians. I can attest that it is a society every bit as complex as the Royal Family’s, where blood counts just as much.
Because I’m American I like to see the little guy with a good idea win, so I was pleased to see that Winter’s Bone has made money and is up for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
I’m bearing witness that Winter’s Bone accurately presents a slice of American life many Richochet members might not know exists, and it’s worth your time.
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Sep '10
Re: Winter's Bone
Sounds like a great film. Nice writing too J.C. By the way, The King's Speech is also about *unimportant* people too.... you'll see...
Edited on Feb 9, 2011 at 3:53amSep '10
Re: Winter's Bone
JC, thank you for highlighting a movie we likely wouldn't have known about without you mentioning it. Let's hope more reviews come up.
Edited on Feb 9, 2011 at 7:32amDec '10
Re: Winter's Bone
"...[S]outhern Missouri is the meth capital of the United States, where lethal makeshift labs have supplanted the hillbilly still tenfold."
I have often wondered about the economics of moonshine. As illicit substances go, it must have the lowest return on investment. Not to mention that it looks like a lot of work. The question in my mind is: Why do people keep doing it?
Edited on Feb 9, 2011 at 5:44amNov '10
Re: Winter's Bone
I really enjoyed this film as well -- as I did the King's Speech (do see it).
J. C. Casteel:
The producers didn’t even seize the chance to portray an army recruiter as a manipulative buffoon—something no Hollywood production could ever resist.
That was when Winter's Bone really got me. Here was a film showing the Army as a legitimate life choice. One can't build a story-line on something so minor, but it is a "tell" that Debra Granik was telling a story about being true to a code, not producing a polemic. Ree's quest for the security of her family was amazing.
A couple of other of my favorite things about this film are John Hawks' performance and the scene in the boat (That is a spoiler-free reference; the boat is shown in the movie poster). While the boat glided along, I nudged my wife and whispered, "MacBeth!"
Thanks for reminding me about this great film.
Sep '10
Re: Winter's Bone
That was quick!!
Robert McKee on Winter's Bone amongst others.
Feb '11
Re: Winter's Bone
And if the movie brings any attention to the writing career of Daniel Woodrell, that would be a wonderful side-effect.
Nov '10
Re: Winter's Bone
John Ammirati: I really enjoyed this film as well -- as I did the King's Speech (do see it).
J. C. Casteel:
The producers didn’t even seize the chance to portray an army recruiter as a manipulative buffoon—something no Hollywood production could ever resist.
That was when Winter's Bone really got me. Here was a film showing the Army as a legitimate life choice. One can't build a story-line on something so minor, but it is a "tell" that Debra Granik was telling a story about being true to a code, not producing a polemic. Ree's quest for the security of her family was amazing.
A couple of other of my favorite things about this film are John Hawks' performance and the scene in the boat (That is a spoiler-free reference; the boat is shown in the movie poster). While the boat glided along, I nudged my wife and whispered, "MacBeth!"
Thanks for reminding me about this great film. · Feb 9 at 6:41am
I also loved the curiously tender scene where the children are taught how to shoot and gut a squirrel. "Do we eat that part?" "Not yet."
Aug '10
Re: Winter's Bone
JC
Living in NW Mo, I can find the same landscape and the same people within 15 minutes, unfortunately (about the people part). Meth is a weird one, turns people into jumpy zombies in no time. It's harder on women than ten muslims. Meth-mouth is pretty nasty.
As for the Missouri landscape, well, it's winter and I won't comment until spring.
You see the article on Big Hollywood about the lead actress ? ..nice........
but then Angelina Jolie said the same thing when she was about that age.
Sometimes I think I Hollywood might be weirder than Texas County. No, take that back. it is definitely weirder, more dangerous, and has better restaurants.
But it was a fine movie. And squirrel is pretty good too, if you remember to takeout the sac behind on the leg joint..
Edited on Feb 9, 2011 at 1:49pmRe: Winter's Bone
Thanks for this. We have four small children and see, maybe, one movie a year. This sounds like the one...
Dec '10
Re: Winter's Bone
Our whole family enjoyed it. If the Academy gives it desreved recognition, that reflects well on the Academy.
Foxman, that is just an example of folks making a living from ethanol, without the subsidies, but also without the taxes. Legal booze is easily more than 50 percent tax, in price; much more in some states. That's a margin people can live on, if they like squirrel.
May '10
Re: Winter's Bone
Will definitely check it out. Thanks.
And little doubt JC would make for an interesting profile by EJHill. The bio is intriguingly brief: Retired U.S. marshall. Some stories there, I bet.
May '10
Re: Winter's Bone
Winter's Bone was spectacular.
I was fascinated by the stereotype that was developed, but not an insulting stereotype, because the portrayals were so sincere. The art snob part of me likes to use the word "honesty" to describe that (after a chardonnay I'd call it "profoundly and deeply honest"). Curious that The Dukes of Hazzard is a stereotype, too. I've still not located where the line of banality is crossed there. Perhaps it's something to do with letting fly from a compound bow a bolt strapped with dynamite and a blasting cap.
I've observed the same social and geographic isolation from Winter's in eastern Kentucky -- it's real. If it's not a squirrel then it's frog, and if not that then snapping turtle. Illegal drug production is a step up from that, as at least cash changes hands to permit a grocery trip.
Maybe perseverance in the face of evil is most compelling, as evil abounds in that film. Like driving by a bad car wreck, it's awful but we want to look.
Dec '10
Re: Winter's Bone
I felt like the film did an amazing job of answering a question few people ask, "how do we get along without the government stepping in to saved us?"
As the film showed, the answer isn't always pretty. It also showed that without a defensive sense of pride in your station in life you can maintain dignity in your humanity, humility in asking for charity and eventually self respect for what you can accomplish, even if all you can accomplish at the moment is survival.
Thanks for the review. I felt somewhat unsettled after watching the film myself, and could never put it into words as well as you did. What I think set me on edge was that it hit so close to home. I felt that same shame I felt as a child for being poor, all over again.
I'm not specifically familiar with deep country Missourians, but the similarities to little part of Idaho I grew up in are too many to mention.
Jul '10
Re: Winter's Bone
I'd call the film part of the "hardscrabble" genre. Another recent - and sadly under-appreciated - film in the genre was "Wendy and Lucy", a simple story about a down-on-her-luck young woman and her lost dog. Michelle Williams starred.
Those who like "Winter's Bone" might also appreciate "Frozen River", which starred Melissa Leo, who is up for a best supporting actress award this year for "The Fighter".
Nov '10
Re: Winter's Bone
Kenneth: I'd call the film part of the "hardscrabble" genre. Another recent - and sadly under-appreciated - film in the genre was "Wendy and Lucy", a simple story about a down-on-her-luck young woman and her lost dog. Michelle Williams starred.
Those who like "Winter's Bone" might also appreciate "Frozen River", which starred Melissa Leo, who is up for a best supporting actress award this year for "The Fighter". · Feb 9 at 6:24pm
I'm pretty much fed up with most of what comes out of Hollywood now, so I will check out those two movies. I must be growing up, since I actually look for interesting characters and a good story. Thanks for the recommendations.
Nov '10
Re: Winter's Bone
flownover: JC
Living in NW Mo, I can find the same landscape and the same people within 15 minutes, unfortunately (about the people part). Meth is a weird one, turns people into jumpy zombies in no time. It's harder on women than ten muslims. Meth-mouth is pretty nasty.
Sometimes I think I Hollywood might be weirder than Texas County. No, take that back. it is definitely weirder, more dangerous, and has better restaurants.
But it was a fine movie. And squirrel is pretty good too, if you remember to takeout the sac behind on the leg joint.. · Feb 9 at 1:45pm
Edited on Feb 09 at 01:49 pm
I witnessed the evolution of the meth epidemic first hand, and can attest that it's at least two steps above crack in its addictiveness and destructiveness. If I had any criticism of Winter's Bone, it would be that the meth users looked too healthy, but I suppose it would be difficult to find a decent actor who looked that bad.
Don't be too hard on Texas County. Their website is awesome.