History Film / WintersBone

* WriteWhoYouKnow: The author of the book grew up in the Ozarks and joined the military right out of high school.

The film was nominated for a number of AcademyAwards including Best Picture, despite its modest commercial success and lack of star power.

* SocialServicesDoesNotExist: Well, they do, but they're unlikely to venture out into the meth-ravaged and determinedly insular communities of the Ozarks.
** It never seems to occur to anyone that proving that Ree's father is dead will not only get the bond released, but also means that his wife and children will be able to collect Social Security survivors' benefits. That certainly would make a major difference in their living conditions.

* NoodleIncident: [[spoiler:How Ree's dad died.]]
** [[spoiler: Though it is implied that the reason he was killed was because he was cornered by the law and ratted people out because of that.]]

* MexicanStandoff: Teardrop has one with the sheriff simply because he doesn't feel like talking to him. The sheriff tries to press the issue, but ends up backing down.
** It goes beyond being "simply because he doesn't feel like talking to him." [[spoiler: It's implied that the sheriff is whom Jessup ratted his family out to.]]

** "Teardrop". Real name: Mr Dolly.

** One important factor that no one ever mentions is that proving Ree's father to be dead will not only get the bond release, but also means that his wife and children will be able to collect Social Security survivors' benefits, which certainly would make a major difference in their living conditions.

** "Thump," although everyone in the extended family treats it as a [[NamesToRunAwayFrom Name To Run Away From]]

* NamesToRunAwayFrom: Thump, the patriarch of the drug-cooking family.

* RiddleForTheAges: Who put up the cash for Jessup's bond?
** Not really a riddle. The exact person who handed over the money is never identified, but it's pretty heavily implied that the meth-cooking ring paid Jessup's bond [[spoiler: so that they could kill him before he had a chance to inform on them to the police]].

* {{Determinator}} / PluckyGirl: Nothing will stop Ree from saving the family home. Nothing.

* YoungerThanTheyLook: Prematurely aged by a hard life and mental illness, Ree's mother looks to be far into middle age. Given that she has children ranging in age from 17 to six, and is in a society where young marriage is likely the norm, she's probably under 40.

* [[spoiler:TheGhost]]: Jessup Dolly.

* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: [[spoiler:{{Downplayed}}. Ree is savagely beaten -- she even spits out a tooth -- and for part of the film her face is a bloody mess. However, by the end of the film she looks basically the same as she did at the beginning.]]

* FridgeLogic: [[spoiler: Why is a ''very'' shallow pond the best place to hide Jessup's body?]]

** And it's unlikely that Ree herself would welcome the intrusion.

* CrapsackWorld: The Ozarks are a really terrible place to live.

* FlyoverCountry: The film presents a pretty harrowing worm's eye view of just what is going on in some of those tiny Southern/Midwest towns. It ain't good.

* ThePatriarch: Thump

* PoliceAreUseless: The local sheriff is useless, and commands absolutely no respect from the residents.

* WouldntHitAGirl: The men won't. [[spoiler:So the women beat Ree instead.]]