Dang. This here’s a solid little drama about Living under hard times. Hard circumstances. Hard realities. And having to be being a hard person to deal with them, even if you’re still not even of adult age yet. It’s not a good sign when the bondsman knows all the people in your neighborhood. While nothing particularly flashy here, I always appreciate a good story.
Small backwoods Missouri. Old house that has seen better days. Ree is not quite an adult, taking care of her much younger brother and little sister with the minimal of bare essentials. Her mom is there, but isn’t exactly “all there.” Find out pretty quick why her dad’s gone. Sheriff shows up to let her know, unless her crank-cookin father shows up for court next week, the property is subject to forfeit due to the bond that old man Jessup took out the last time he got sprung from the clink. Ree, just taking care of her family. Continues to take care of her family, and find out where her fuck-up of a dad has got to in order to save their home.
This isn’t exactly a fun drinkin kinda movie, but worthwhile nonetheless. The natural progression of the story is genuine, understated in a way that shows a further authenticity. There’s still modern problems of drugs and the fuckeries usually associated with that, but shown or implied, not explained. It’s good storytellin. Jennifer Lawrence does a great job here as the daughter cut to bare existence, then presented the worst news. Many fantastic supporting roles here too, including a few by Deadwood alumni John ‘Sol’ Hawkes and Garrett ‘McCall/Wolcott’ Dillahunt, all meshing in the situation perfectly. Realistic Environments that are often neglected, it seems, in film and otherwise.
