10 Criminally Underrated Films Turning 10 Years Old In 2020

Forever destined to be known as the film that put J-Law on the map, Winter’s Bone is too good a movie to be classed as a star vehicle. Set in the desolate Ozark’s - which were later given an equally murky spin in Netflix’s Jason Bateman-starring Ozark – the film follows Lawrence’s resourceful teen as she tries to keep a roof over her family home, living in the shadow of a wayward dad and shifty, drug-addled uncle (a never better John Hawkes) in a world of ramshackle houses, family ties coming undone and meth labs.

Grandstanding performances are also matched by breath-taking cinematography as helmer Debra Granik and cinematographer Michael McDonough frame a place that is bleak, unforgiving but always with a glimmer of sunlight coming through the trees.

Although this melding of story, star power and stark visuals was a hit with critics and did modest work on the awards circuit, you can’t help but feel there should have been more Oscar love with Hawkes alone deserving to have beaten Christian Bale to the Best Supporting Actor award at the 83rd Academy Awards.