On the thirteenth day we get the thirteenth movie, that’s got to be unlucky. Right?
An adaptation of Daniel Woodrell’s novel Winter’s Bone sees poverty-stricken but proud 17-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) struggling to raise her young brother and sister in the face of a catatonic mother and an absent father. When the police inform Ree that they’ll lose the house if her father doesn’t make a court appearance, she sets out alone to track him down.
Verdict: The finest individual performance of 2010 cements this movies place on the list. Jennifer Lawrence is a revelation as Ree, anchoring the movie and allowing the audience engage in the bleakness and despair without losing hope. A rich soundtrack and strong visuals combine to bring to life a very real vision of life on the bread-line.
