MovieChat Forums > Winter's Bone (2010) Discussion > Not A Good Movie

Not A Good Movie

posted 13 years ago by RhodyDave
107 replies | jump to latest

I thought this was pretty poor. This is my review from my movie blog - http://reelcommentary.blogspot.com/ (with some words cleaned up for IMDB).

I wanted see this based on reading good things about it, so I watched it on Netflix last night. The story is about a 17 year old girl, Ree, who is trying to find her meth dealing father, as the family home is about to be taken away from them by bail bondsmen.

To complicate things, her father might be dead, her mother is nearly catatonic, and Ree has to take care of her younger brother and sister. Everyone in this movie is unlikeable except for Ree's siblings. All the characters are portrayed as violent, drug using, hillbillies. Now maybe this reflects true in certain families in Missouri, where this film is set, but it's not good for the main character to be so unpleasant. Yes, I thought she was an unlikeable character. Ree had been forced to become the caregiver to her mother and younger sibs, but other than doing that, which was less an act of nobility than an act of necessity, she displayed little that I felt was either smart or appealing.

The entire tone of the movie is somber. There are no indications that any of these characters will grow or have anything better in their lives. Everyone is resigned to the roles they've been born into. Drugs are all that these characters have to motivate them, either by selling, using, or manufacturing them.
As the movie came to an end, there was no redemption for anyone, no epiphanies, nothing learned by their suffering, and no hope for a future different than the past. It's a movie that shows only bleakness, only sorrow. The lack of any glimpse that Ree has some chance to escape this hell is what ultimately led me to the conclusion that this movie wasn't good. The acting is fine, and technically it's decent, but I didn't like anything about this movie or any of the characters. If I want to see stories about people doing awful things to one another, all I need do is turn the news on. I expect more of fiction than to merely tell me how *beep* up some people that I don't like are, or that drugs can *beep* people up and lead to misery. I know that - now show me something that has at least some revelatory quality to it. That would be a big step in the right direction, unlike Winter's Bone, which just seemed content to revel in s*** and try to pass it off as art.

Bring me four fried chickens and a Coke

[–] ThePhrozenPhoenix 12 years ago

You hit the nail on the head. I could not agree more with you — both about this particular film, as well as the purpose of movies in general.

[–] keitht63 12 years ago

What a load of bollocks, your review, not the film which was superb.
I didn't see it at the cinema but and I was just channel surfing but found myself mesmerised I couldn't leave what I thought was a film I would hate or find boring.
Not so, I would watch it again and might buy the DVD.
Oh by the way looking at you blogsite I note your reference to the 10% brain usage myth although in your case this may be quite accurate.

[–] down-right-mystical 12 years ago

Oh, come on.... so you didn't like the film. a) If you really didn't like it you wouldn't want to waste you're time upsetting people that did (unless you're a sadist troll and that's how you get your kicks) and /or 2) If you cared about it that much (like, really cared, given you're putting you're voice out there to the universe, and hey, it's the internet, it will never be erased) why not post it as a proper review? I mean, come on. If you have something to say, make it a review. If you just want to rile up other people, by all means.... post a 'review' in the forum. Oh dear.

[–] adamwarlock 12 years ago

You need to understand that some films break away from Hollywood formula and some of us appreciate that. This film even has a "happy ending" although not too happy as Ree's stuck with her original situation but she's resigned to that.

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

[–] BKinzeys 12 years ago

You are right, it's not a good movie, it's a great movie.

[–] lauraly 12 years ago

Not everyone has a happy go lucky care free life. Life is very harsh sometimes. Sometimes children have to step in for the adults and family in their life, as was portrayed here. It is not pretty. Sometimes it is damn ugly and unfair. Guess what?? What was portrayed in this movie is not the worse that can happen.
No redemption??? Are you kidding me? How about when the women take the girl to her father's bones so her and her family don't lose their land/home? How about the uncle that sticks out his neck for his niece? And stands up for her when they both could have been murdered. How about the army guy that steps up and gives her some good advice regarding her family? How about the bail bondsmen that hands her over the cash bond someone put up for her father so he could be murdered (with law enforcement co-operation btw) ..."You need it more than he does".
How about the girl that steps in for her daddy, who could find no better living than to cook meth, and her mama who was mentally ill, and had no help but her teenaged daughter.. Although her meth head uncle helped her when the *beep* hit the fan, no other family would help her. How about when their relatives next door had a deer, and the little brother asked if they should ask for some. What was that quote about never asking for something that should be offered in the first place???

[–] dday07-1 11 years ago

I'm guessing the author of this post is not a big fan of 70's decade

[–] lizcarlo87 11 years ago

It's obvious that Winters Bone was in shot in the Ozarks. The accents for once sounded perfect instead of terrible. They did great job with the characters. The way they look, live, speak, dress, fix their hair, people helping her, stuff they cook, hunting, Ree taking care of her brother and sister, skinning their own meat, yard ect is realistic for the life of these kind of people. The pace was very well done. Storyline was entertaining. Writing was very good. Scenes were directed beautifully. Acting was great. They paid attention to little details. That's why I enjoy the movie.

I can understand some people not likening Winters Bone. This movie isn't glamours. It's gritty movie that's realistic life about some very poor country people who are drug users and dealers.

[–] CharlesTheBold 11 years ago

So why do you say it is not a good movie? All you proved is that it is realistic and pessimistic, which is not the same thing.