Review of Winter's Bone (2010) by Marvin C — 20 May 2012

Another one for the file marked 'Spectacular lead performance, shame about everything else'.

Jennifer Lawrence's tower of strength performance makes Winter's Bone bearable as it shines out of a film which is otherwise slow, repetitive and pedestrian.

Lawrence is a 17 year old girl in chilly Alabama looking after her mother and younger siblings. Threatened with eviction from their wood hut if her father doesn't show up for a court hearing she spends the remainder of the film trudging about the wilderness trying to find her errant dad with little help from the various weirdos she seeks his whereabouts from.

Director Debra Granik presents a bleak view of life in deep winter Alabama. She throws in a few beautifully framed and lighted shots of the landscape but apart from that her guidance is dull. Jennifer Lawrence does give a great performance. She shows the weakness of her character when alone, her pleadings for help but at the same time so strong for her family who are now relying upon her. There are similar traits to that of Katniss Everdeen, the character she would go on to play in The Hunger Games, though it's difficult to imagine two movies further apart in all other respects.

The rest of the cast are unremarkable with no one sticking in the memory post viewing. This could be again more of an indication of just how accomplished an actress Lawrence is at such a young age.

The plot never really grabs hold in the film. There is too much coming and going and the finale leaves you wondering what the point of it all might have been.

For those curious to see more of Jennifer Lawrence at not necessarily her best then Winter's Bone is worth seeking out but it's a hollow and ultimately unrewarding piece of work otherwise.