John Hawkes - Winter's Bone
This wonderful small film was not for me a detective mystery as some have called it, but rather a portrait of America’s primal self. A portrait that is not at all flattering, like racism, poverty and ignorance that we desperately wish would stay hidden in the shadows.
The film immediately lays the groundwork: opportunity (next to none), respect (yes mam, no sir), family and women. The mystery is less important then the culture. We are watching a lion’s pride, not a cartoon, this is real. The pace of the movie and the soundtrack adds to its realness and I can relate to the desperation. Unlike a documentary, I never get the chance to feel distant and sorry for the people whose lives are portrayed on screen.
Life is simplistic, we will all do whatever is called for in order for us to survive another day. For me, that is the real story. Not the “who did it” or the perils of drugs (Meth), we are all looking to get by.