True Grit

Over their storied career, the Coen Brothers have made some of the most original, most iconoclastic, and most critically-acclaimed films of all time. They've tackled adaptations (No Country for Old Men, O Brother, Where Art Thou?) and remakes (The Ladykillers) before, of course, but even these films have borne the brothers' unmistakable mark of originality, their skewed vision of the world, and their cynical, sarcastic sense of humor.

What, then, to make of True Grit?

It's termed a re-adaptation of the original Charles Portis novel, a "re-imagining," in the parlance of our time. One is hardly able to discuss the film without the spectre of John Wayne, however: the best-known adaptation of the book was one of the film legend's definitive roles, one of those cultural touchstones that rarely if ever are engineered. Discussion of that film invariably centers on Wayne and his performance: a washed-up, forgotten cowpoke that seemed tailor-made for Wayne to draw on his position at the time. A direct predecessor of Mickey Rourke and The Wrestler.

I'll admit that it was the Coens' pedigree that moved me to see this film. I've by nature little interest in Westerns, but despite producing a few lesser films (I'm looking at you, Burn After Reading), the Coens' sheer talent, along with the casting of Jeff Bridges in the John Wayne role, had me intrigued.

The story is simple and straightforward: The father of young Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) is murdered by a two-bit criminal (Josh Brolin), and she takes it upon herself to see him brought to justice. To that end, she hires a reputedly ferocious US Marshal named Rueben "Rooster" Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), while a prideful Texas Ranger (Matt Damon) tags along, hoping to bring the perpetrator to justice for a big reward.

And that's it, really. Completely absent is the trademark Coen plotting, convoluted subplots that twist and turn over onto themselves as though the script were one enormous Möbius strip (Möbius script?...

Some people have said that this film followed the book better than the original one with John Wayne. I have not read the book but I must say that I did not feel that there was that much difference between the John Wayne version and this one. Sure, there was a difference in the details but the main elements was pretty much the same. There was an epilogue on the end which was a tad more sad, but certainly not misplaced, than in the original film.

I have to say that the film it was very good. Jeff Bridges was doing an excellent interpretation of Rooster Gogburn. I found him to be quite “John Wayne like” in this film which is perhaps why I liked it so much.

There's not much point in comparing this to John Wayne's version from 1969. In may ways it's similar - especially the dialogue - but in most it's a completely different telling of the story of the determined young "Mattie" (Hailee Steinfeld) whose father has been slain by "Chaney" (Josh Brolin) and who has now engaged the services of the curmudgeonly US Marshal "Rooster" (Jeff Bridges) to track him down. They are not the only folks looking for this man. "LaBoeuf" (Matt Damon) - a Texas Ranger - is also on his trail and so after a rocky start this trio set off in search of the man, now reportedly hooked up with the lawless "Ned Pepper" (Barry Pepper). What now ensues sees these three people, quite different in nature, spar and spat as they hone in on their quarry. Though I felt Damon rather underplayed the charismatic Texan, there's a solid effort here from Bridges who manages to imbue his character with a stubborn decency born out of experience and, I thought, a certain respect for this already well established role. The writing provides for some light-heartedness and Steinfeld delivers quite well too as the glue that holds the plot together as it builds to a menacing denouement that is altogether more plausible than the earlier iteration. The supporting cast chip in well too, with Dakin Matthews also quite entertaining as the hard-as-nails horse trader beaten into submission by her frequent references to a lawyer who can conquer all-comers. The photography grandly captures the scale of their trek and the beauty of their territory and there's a steady development of the story keeping the pace steady for just shy of two hours of this characterful adventure. It's not, for me, as good as the original - but it's a new look at the Western genre peppered with plenty of bile and bullets that works well.

Another movie that let me down having one of my favorite actors Matt Damon and yet such a huge dissappointment. Like someone had a great idea sold it to the studio, then started the movie and forgot to write the story, just made it up as they went along. Seriously guys, doesn't matter if it's a book, TV show, movie or comic if you start with a good story then doesn't matter if you tell it around the campfire it's going to be great in any format.