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Movie Review: Locally filmed 'Winter's Bone' offers chills, redemption

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“Winter's Bone”
Directed by: Debra Granik
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Kevin Breznahan, Dale Dickey, Garret Dillahunt, Sheryl Lee, Lauren Sweetser, Tate Taylor
Rated: R

Based on the highly acclaimed novel by Daniel Woodrell, the film version of “Winter's Bone” might have been subtitled, “An Ozarkian Odyssey.” While the main character, a 17-year-old girl named Ree Dolly, doesn't travel as many miles as Odysseus did, she has as many trials and tribulations, and she is a determined traveler.

The Wehrenberg Campbell 16 Ciné did a great job opening the film on June 17th. There were red carpets, members of the cast and production crew, including the lead actress, a question-and-answer session following the film and an afterparty.

Why?

In the off chance you haven't heard, “Winter's Bone” is set in the Ozarks. And it was filmed here - mostly in Taney and Christian counties, as well as a scene at the cattle auction in Springfield. The local connection has raised awareness of the film; people will go just because it was shot in our neck of the woods.

Denny Goins, general manager of the Campbell 16, said that they went the extra mile to get the film booked at the theater. Any theater that is part of a chain usually gets films chosen by a booker from the corporate office.

“It's something that is from our area of the country,” Goins said. “We felt like there would be a lot of interest here. And the word is good on the movie.”

That's the real reason to see “Winter's Bone.” The local connection is one thing but the fact it's a great movie is the point. It won Grand Jury Prize/Drama and Best Screenplay at the Sundance Film Festival. Star Jennifer Lawrence has gotten acclaim at festivals nationwide and she recently completed “The Beaver,” starring Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson and directed by Foster.

As “Winter's Bone” opens, we learn that Jessup Dolly has been arrested for cooking methamphetamine. Cooking meth is a cottage industry in Dolly's area and a way of life. To post his bail, he signed over his house.

As his court date approaches, he's nowhere to be found.

His 17-year-old daughter, Ree, (played by Lawrence) takes care of two younger siblings and a nearly catatonic mom. She's visited by the local sheriff who informs her that if her dad misses his court date, she's going to lose her house.

Ree is a character that is wise and focused beyond her years. Even without any back story, it's obvious how she got this way. She sets off to find her dad so she can save the family homestead.

She treks through the hills and hollers of the Ozarks in the freezing cold, visiting some of her dad's “co-workers.” Most of them aren't very happy to see her and let her know she best just “let it be.”

One person she visits is her uncle, a man known as Teardrop (John Hawkes).  

The first encounter is a violent one, but Teardrop is a better man than he seems to be initially.

There's a Taoist saying, “The farther one travels, the less one knows,” and that seems to be the case here at first.

Ree begins to come to the conclusion that her dad is dead, killed by one of his fellow cookers. She's sad but knows what she has to do. She has to find the body to prove he's dead and therefore can't show up for his court date and therefore won't lose his bail, the family home.

If things were unpleasant before, they are downright frightening now. Two of the most intense scenes feature Springfield's Beth Domann in a role that is quite different for her. She usually does comedy.

Domann enjoyed it. She said, with a laugh, “It was really nice to be mean. I never get to be mean.”

The climactic scene is as chilling as the film's title.

The ending, while not a typical Hollywood “feel good, tie up all the loose ends” one, has a great deal of redemption for the bleakness that preceded it.

It's nice to see a film and recognize the scenery and know it was shot in our communal “back yard.” But no matter where it was filmed, “Winter's Bone” is a powerfully affecting story, one that is more about tribal bonds than backwoods drug culture.

And young Lawrence is poised for a long career.

For more movie information and showtimes, go to sbj.net/life

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