Directed by Ethan and Joel Cohn
Written by Charles Portisl screenplay by Ethan and Joel Cohn
Starrring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Hailee Steinfeld, Barry Pepper
Released: December 2010
Unlike many, I was a fan of the original film of TRUE GRIT. I just read the book this fall and loved it and couldn’t resist renting the movie despite what I’d heard about it. I enjoyed it quite a bit. And of course I also couldn’t resist the remake.
PLOT: Following the murder of her father by hired hand, Tom Chaney, 14-year-old bible quoting farmgirl, Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) sets out to bring his murderer to justice. To help her in what she knows will be an impossible task alone, she hires Rooster Cogburn (Bridges), a man with “true grit” after she discovers he’s murdered more than two dozen men in bringing them to justice. Mattie insists on accompanying Cogburn. Against his wishes, she joins him in his trek into the Indian Nations in search of Chaney who has now joined the Culpepper gang. They are joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, who wants Chaney for criminal activity in Texas. The unlikely trio find danger and surprises on the journey and each turns out to possess true grit.
This new version was a fine straight-forward telling of this tale. I was surprised at just how straight-forward and faithful it was, given the directors. Of all their films, this one seems to have the least of their imprint on it. That does not make it a bad movie, but it does beg the question, why? Did they make it just to try their hand at a true western?
I don’t think this was Bridges’ best performance either. I had trouble understanding him and it was played too much like hic character from last year’s CRAZY HEART. You can only do drunks in so many ways. Wayne, and I am not a Wayne fan, brought a certain vibrancy to the part that Bridge’s lacks. You picture a life beyond drink and sleep for his version of Cogburn.
It also was somewhat lacking in excitement, and although the central performance of Ms. Steinfeld was fine, at some point she lost her centrality. This may have been a directorial decision or that she was simply overwhelmed by Bridges, Damon, Brolin and Pepper. This sounds like a lukewarm endorsement and I guess it is a bit. I liked the film, but I didn’t love it. You know the feeling, I am sure.
Patti
Patti Abbott writes crime fiction short stories. She hosts a look at Forgotten Books every Friday with readers, writers and reviewers at http://www.pattinase.blogspot.com/ She hopes you’ll join in.
Thanks for the review, Patti. I'm on my way to see it this weekend.
Nice review, Patti. Obviously I liked the movie a lot more than you did . . . plus I liked the original a lot LESS I expect. Personally, I thought John Wayne was awful in the original, but I don't like John Wayne anyway. I want to see the new version again before it leaves the theater.
I liked it, but I was surprised by how straight forward it was. Usually you can count on the Coens to put their spin on it.
What I liked about Wayne, and I am not a Wayne fan, was his spirit in the part. You could feel him rise to the occasion both as a character and as an actor.
Bridges never seemed to find that part of the character.
Certainly it was closer to the book than the last version. And beautifully filmed.
I enjoyed it quite a bit. Would I call it a great film? No, but it was good and the acting was excellent.
Well worth seeing in the theater.
I was looking at the Coen Brothers' filmography and they are not too far away from cementing their place among the greats.
I look forward to seeing what they do with Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union.
One of the things I loved about the Coens version is how straight forward it was. I was worried they would try to make it appeal to modern sensibilities by adding too much sex or violence. This was one of the few movies I saw last year that really relied on characters to make the story work. And for me, at least, the actors pulled it off.
I would agree that it lacks the Coens usual directorial stamp. Perhaps that why I liked it so much? I enjoy their movies, but have never been so drawn to them that I seek them out.