True Grit [2010]

I’m surprised the Coen brothers made this movie. It’s so different than any other film they ever did, except in quality. John Wayne won his first and only oscar for portraying the hard nosed, fearless one-eyed U.S marshal Rooster Cogburn back in 1969. I thought nobody could fill in his boots, and I was right. In the new version of “True Grit”, Jeff Brigdes is not playing the John Wayne role. He’s playing the Jeff Bridges role, and to compare the two would be a damn shame, because both actors are terrific in their own way. The original movie was an old fashioned western story. This one has “The Coens” written all over it; it’s dark, violent, yet funny. Anyone who’s familiar with their earlier work will know exactly what to expect from it. The story follows the odyssey of a girl, Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld in her impressive film debut), as she hires U.S marshal Rooster Cogburn to help her track down Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin as excellent as always), the man who murdered her father and fled with the family savings. Maddie is strong, smart and loyal to her father. Instead of staying home to help her family, she goes out and avenges him. And as we move along, the film cleverly examines the relationship between her and Rooster. As far as fathers go, the man is pretty flawed; he’s drunk, vulgar and foul-mouthed. But he’s also brave, and will do anything to protect her. For those who said the film lacks heart, I suggest you look deeper.

I would be lying if I said “True Grit” is a perfect movie. The original wasn’t, so why should this one be any different? But don’t let this minor issue spoil all your fun. Some might say that “The Coens” made a mistake in remaking this movie; I beg to differ. I think it succeeds in standing out on its own, with vivid storytelling, excellent performances, and beautiful cinematography, making it a definite treat for western fans.

Rating: 3/4