Review: True Grit

Plot: After Mattie's Ross's (Hailee Steinfeld) father is shot by the drifter Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), Ross hires drunken U.S. Marshall Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to bring the outlaw to justice. Accompanied by cocksure Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Matt Damon) the three set out into Choctaw territory in pursuit of Chaney and the gang leader "Lucky" Ned Pepper (Barry Pepper.)

Review: Joel and Ethan Cohen's 2010 incarnation of True Grit, based on the 1968 novel by Charles Portis, is a strong if slightly flawed western. Less a remake of the 1969 classic starring John Wayne, this latest version of True Grit follows the novel closer.

The tone and mood of the film is driven by Mattie Ross and not by Bridges character as might be expected. To be sure the audience get its fair share of Cogburn, but Mattie is the driving force here and the Cohen's could not have picked a finer young actress. Fourteen year old Steinfeld is simply captivating as the young Mattie Ross and holds her own against Bridges. The scene where Ross is trying to stop Cogburn from leaving the courthouse is particularly memorable. Ross brings a fiery and tenacious spirit to the part of Mattie that is incredibly nuanced and far superior to Kim Darby's original portrayal. Her Academy Award nomination is almost assured. The tragedy would be if she didn't win. I haven't seen a performance this good by such a young actress since Anna Paquin in The Piano.

Bridges I believe will also get another Oscar nomination. Aside from occasionally being unintelligible (which to be fair makes up the character) Bridges's performance is nearly flawless. At times cantankerous and rude, Bridges's Rooster also comes across as caring philosophical. He's constantly amusing as well. The back and forth play between the lawyer and Cogburn at the beginning of the film is witty and hilarious at the same time. Rarely has the distinction between lawman and lawyer been evidenced on screen. Even his look is more grizzled, dirty, and authentic than Wayne's was in the 1969 original.

Damon is servicable as La Boeuf, though his performance is dwarfed by the strong roles of Steinfeld and Bridges. Although to be fair Damon had nowhere to go but up considering the original role was played by Glen "Like a Rhinestone Cowboy" Campbell. Still he didn't seem to fit the role of a Texas Ranger at times and got into scrapes that Cogburn had to get him out of more often than not. Damon's character is not particularly likable or memorable.

What also detracts from the film was the inclusion of several unnecessary and bizarre scenes. The two that stand out the most are where Bear Grit (Ed Corbin) shows up in an awkward scene offering Mattie and Rooster medical attention. Additionally the scene where La Boeuf spanks Mattie is a definite WTF moment.

As talented an actor as Josh Brolin is, I hated him in this film. He played Chaney as a buffoon and reminded me more of Mongo from Blazing Saddles than anything else. I fault the Cohen brothers for that one. I don't believe they should have allowed Brolin to portray Chaney in that manner. It made moments of the film come across as Raising Arizona rather than possessing the seriousness of No Country for Old Men. ( Brolin's performances is indicative of a key flaw in the film. True Grit at times was too lighthearted for a western.) Thankfully, Brolin was balanced out slightly by the fine acting of Barry Pepper. His role as "Lucky" Ned Pepper was fantastic. Unfortunately, he was severely underutilized and had little screen time.

The Cohen's went very far to make True Grit appear like an authentic western. The costumes are impeccable and Roger Deakins's cinematography is top rate. Some of the mountain shots are the finest I've ever seen. His capture of the final shootout is also quite memorable. Longtime collaborator Carter Burwell also presents a beautiful score that complements True Grit's austere qualities.

While True Grit isn't quite the high caliber film you might expect from the Cohen brothers, it is a good western. It's just not the great western I was anticipating. Still there are plenty of excellent acting performances, action, and scenery to make this film worth the price of admission.

My rating: 8/10