In an interview led by Jeremiah Kipp, writer/director Debra Granik stated that “The traditional storyline in an American film is usually in the form of a V shape. I am oversimplifying, but we see someone tumbling down, they hit bottom, and then they rise up again and find redemption.” In all of her works, Granik has displayed a trend towards this structure, but never more so than in her Sundance Grand Jury Prize winning Winter’s Bone.
The key to the “V-shaped” plot is a compelling tragic fall, all the more wrenching if fate has dealt misery to one who is undeserving. Bone’s main character, Ree, is, then, a perfect example of a tragic figure. Abandoned when her father ran away from a court hearing and put the family’s house up as the bail bond, she is forced to track him through the rural Ozark Mountains. And in her moment of despair, we, the audience, join her and hope for redemption.
Granik’s previous Sundance winners, Down to the Bone (2004 Dramatic Directing Award) and Snake Feed (1998 Best Short Award), also display a similar trend of tragic figures searching for redemption. Both works deal with women trying to rise above their drug addiction while struggling to raise families nearly singlehandedly. Snake Feed was created shortly after Granik completed her master’s in film at New York University. Down to the Bone, inspired by the short, was developed into a successful feature-length film. Winter’s Bone, an adaptation of Daniel Woodrell’s novel of the same title, followed shortly after.
The tragic themes of Bone are unmistakable and easily made the leap from novel to screen. The story takes place in poverty-stricken Missouri and centers around a co-dependent family on the verge of losing everything. As if the tragedy were not enough, there is an element of suspense weaved in as well. If Ree does not find her father in one week, the family will lose the house. One week to locate her missing father. The tragic hero, suspense, and setting all combine to make an unforgettable—and very dark—film that distinguishes itself as Granik’s best work so far.
Granik’s success has been phenomenal; clearly she has found her niche in small town American tragedies. Ironically enough, she denies her popularity in America: “Every couple of years, some mavericks take on this challenge of distributing so-called un-distributable films. They take those films on a small run and allow them to see the light of day.” She considers Down to the Bone and Winter’s Bone such “un-distributable” films. Yet, both have won prestigious awards and continue to capture her viewer’s hearts.
For more, check out the AV Club interview with Debra Granik about her inspiration.
