Winter's Bone -E.Luck

Winters Bone is a 2010 independent drama directed by Debra Granik.  The movie follows the life of Ree, played by Jennifer Lawrence.  Ree, the protagonist lives in the rural mountains of Missouri where she must take care of her little brother and sister as her mother is ill and her father has been murdered.  As the head of the household she teaches her siblings skills that they one day will need like hunting for small game, or helping them with their schooling.

Most of this story takes place around the idea that Ree is in search of answers concerning her fathers death and the drug ring that her family is part of.  While she does not know the full extent of her father's connection, she knows someone knows.

This movie to me is the exploration of one's self through the exploration of something that does not fully connect with the individual.  While Ree was searching for answers she was cursed at, left in the middle of nowhere, and assaulted.  Each time she got denied she dug deeper into herself and found the motivation to continue.  This idea of a strong female protagonist can be found in movies like Beast of a Southern Wild where the female protagonist, Hushpuppy saved her hometown and the life of her father by sheer motivation and determination.  Both characters have qualities that the youth should strive to achieve.

To me this movie can not be watched in a loud, distracting environment as there are so many slight nuances that would be missed unless complete focus is given to the movie.  Overall I would rate this movie as a 8 because of the strong story line and strong development of characters. The movie was a good watch overall.