Winter's Bone

This is a grim film. It is set in the Ozark mountains and is populated by backwoods types who wouldn't look out of place in Night Of The Living Dead. I needed subtitles.

It is about Ree (Jennifer Lawrence), a seventeen-year-old who is mother to her young brother, their mother being incompetent. She learns that because of actions of her absent father their house could be confiscated and she tries to find her father, obstructed at every turn by friends and relatives she turns to for help. Finally, assuming he's dead, she tries to find his body. Spoiler coming up. She is finally led to his body, which is suspended under water. They row out to the spot, she gropes over the side of the boat into the water for his wrists, and is passed a chain saw to remove a hand to use as proof that her father is dead. This is the first time it has occurred to me to wonder whether chain saws are available in waterproof models.

I thought this scene was a step or two too far in grimness.

Jennifer Lawrence has been justifiably praised for her part.