Winter's Bone- Improved Perception

The film, Winter’s Bone is a 2010 independent drama film directed by Debra Granik. This film stars Jennifer Lawrence as the leading protagonist, Ree.

This film takes place in rural Missouri, in the mountain area. The atmosphere and culture is very different from that of an urban or suburban area. This setting sets up the premise our film and possibly the differences between the different area’s ideals.

In the film, Lawrence portrays Ree as strong and independent. She is the caretaker and provider for her younger brother and sister as well as her ill mother. In various scenes she can be seen teaching her younger siblings useful survival skills, such as helping them to study for school, teaching them how to cook, and teaching them how to shoot a gun for hunting.

These skills that Lawrence’s character is instructing her siblings on, shows how the rural environment comes into play in the film and creates these differences in the atmosphere.

Similar themes from Beasts of the Southern Wild,  also come into play in this film, such as the strong female lead protagonist, the essence of strength and survival, as well as family and community.

The main protagonist, Ree, completely steps outside of gender role stereotypes in this film, in a similar fashion as Hushpuppy from the film, Beasts of the Southern Wild. Also in this film the rule of keeping quiet and not speaking to law enforcement, is also similar to that of Beasts of the Southern Wild, because the ‘Bathtub’ community was against the law enforcement for evacuating them and taking them from their homes.

The first time I watched this film I found it to be uncomfortable to watch due to the many unorthodox practices surrounding the rural Missouri mountain community. All the characters seemed to be of some relation to each other and involved in illegal practices and misdeeds.

However, after watching this film again and analyzing the themes, I feel I have a better understanding of the culture and therefore the film itself which has greatly improved my perception of the film. Now, when I think of Winter’s Bone, I think of strength, survival, determination, and independence.