"Winter's Bone" is One of the Best Films of 2010

Featuring a solid plot and an award-worthy performance from young Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Boneis easily one of the more impressive films of 2010. The talented actress leads a mostly unknown cast in this gritty tale of loyalty, blood ties and what some people will do when their community is threatened.

Lawrence plays Ree Dolly, a 17-year-old girl coming of age in the Ozark Mountains. After her father disappears without a trace, Ree becomes the head of the household, taking care of her little brother and sister as well as her mentally ill mother. As tough as her burdens become, Ree would rather raise her siblings herself than let friends and relatives break up the family.

Things get even tougher, though, after Ree's father fails to appear at a scheduled court date. Mr. Dolly had signed the house and land over to angry bail bondsman, who now has the legal right to sell the property and throw the entire Dolly family out into the cold.

With no other options, Ree looks into her father's disappearance, seeking answers from people who are unwilling to give them. The townspeople obviously know what happened to Mr. Dolly, but no one, not even Ree's Uncle Teardrop (John Hawkes), wants to break the silence surrounding the disappearance.

Based on the book by Daniel Woodrell, Winter's Bone takes place in an isolated community where everyone knows everyone else's business, but no one dares talk about it. To make ends meet, for instance, most of the men in town cook "crank," a low-quality form of methamphetamine. The local sheriff knows all about this, but he would rather have the men cooking meth than getting into other kinds of trouble.

As Ree, Jennifer Lawrence is nothing short of amazing, telling people she is a Dolly "bred and buttered". After her father goes missing, Ree becomes both father and mother to her brother and sister. Director Debra Granik includes several scenes featuring Ree teaching the kids how to hunt, a skill that her father would and should have taught them himself.

Ree's journey through the backwoods community also is one of the scariest sequences ever filmed. Facing hostility at every turn, Ree stands up to men and women more than twice her age. Jennifer Lawrence gives Ree Dolly nerves of steel, which she needs when the townspeople finally have enough of Ree's attitude and nosy questions.

As Teardrop, actor John Hawkes carries himself as strongly as Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone. Tall, thin and obviously addicted to the methamphetamine he cooks, Teardrop is the kind of guy that can make an entire room full of men back away in fear, even without a weapon in his hand.

More than anything else, Winter's Bone shows that a film doesn't need car chases, explosions or an A-list cast to succeed. With Jennifer Lawrence leading the cast, Winter's Bone can stand up to any big budget sequel or popcorn flick and walk away with its head held high, just like Ree Dolly.

Winter's Bone, rated R for drug material, language and violent content, currently is playing in limited release.