Jeff Bridges

Hailee Steinfeld

Matt Damon

Josh Brolin

Barry Pepper

Dakin Matthews

Jarlath Conroy

Paul Rae

Domhnall Gleeson

Elizabeth Marvel

Roy Lee Jones

Ed Corbin

Leon Russom

Bruce Green

Candyce Hinkle

Peter Leung

Don Pirl

Joe Stevens

David Lipman

Jake Walker

Orlando Storm Smart

Ty Mitchell

Nicholas Sadler

Scott Sowers

Jonathan Joss

Maggie A. Goodman

Brandon Sanderson

Ruben Nakai Campana

James Brolin

J.K. Simmons

Vivian Kalinov

Roger Deakins

Joel Coen

Ethan Coen

Jennifer Lamb

Mary Zophres

Stefan Dechant

Lori DeLapp

Nancy Haigh

Scott Rudin

Ellen Chenoweth

Thomas Nellen

Jess Gonchor

Craig Branham

Casey O'Neill

Danny Downey

Pedro Barquin

Ian Mclaughlin

Doran Ingram

Paul Crow Willis

Monty Stuart

Brian Brown

Jery Hewitt

Mickey Giacomazzi

Vince Deadrick Jr.

Thomas E. Bentley

Loyd Catlett

Mike Watson

Tony Lee Boggs

Scout Hendrickson

Willie Weber

Tim Buchanan

Christina Ann Wilson

Jarrette Moats

Paul Elliott

Tom Ward

Jeff B. Adams Jr.

Rick Marroquin

Mitch Lillian

Kay Georgiou

Bruce Hamme

Donald R. Howe Jr.

Beate Petruccelli

Deborah Ball

Adele Plauche

Craig Wadlin

Leigh Anne Montaño

John K.D. Graham

Geordie Sheffer

Jacenda Burkett

Kevin Fahey

Keith Walters

Jason Keene

Christien Tinsley

Andy Harris

Erik Untersee

Troy Breeding

Chris Napolitano

Jay Wilkinson

Christine Beveridge

Phillip Renke

Lorey Sebastian

Pimentel A. Raphael

Pete Stockton

Marie A. Kohl

Erica Ciaglia

Marko Costanzo

Charley Gilleran

Ryan Sivley

Nick Damico

Greg Orloff

Katie Godwin

Joel Dougherty

Skip Lievsay

Emily Egge

Loan Phan

Todd Kasow

Randall Balsmeyer

Steve Cremin

Byron Wilson

Janice Janecek

Justin Johnson

Bren Cook

Randall L. Johnson

Craig Berkey

Richard Sutherland

Betsy Magruder

Jo Edna Boldin

David O. Rogers

Elaine Wu

Steve Griffith

Vincent Cirelli

Carol Demarti

Catherine Hughes

Drama

Adventure

Western

True Grit

Paramount Pictures

Scott Rudin Productions

Mike Zoss Productions

Skydance Media

United States of America

Matt Golden

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?). Gone are the defiance of genre definitions, the satirical take on stories, the feeling of the brothers Coen peering through the camera lens at their subjects as though they're studying specimens in a jar. This is straightforward filmmaking, telling a simple tale with all the incredible talent and creative power the Coens command.

So what's not missing, then, are the richness of character, impeccable performances, beautiful cinematography and arresting score that are the other hallmarks of a Coen film. Attention is naturally centered on Jeff Bridges, having the audacity to take on one of the defining performances of one of the most famous actors ever. Bridges doesn't attempt to mimic Wayne. He crawls into this character and wears him like a suit. A hairy, shaggy, smelly suit. But Bridges inverts the typical presentation of such a character: instead of offering the audience with a cold, unfeeling badass whose heart is gradually thawed by the presence of a precocious youngster, this Cogburn is introduced as a shiftless layabout with a reputation who seems to have all but given up on such activities in favor of sleeping and boozing, the events of the film conspiring to scrape away that useless crust to reveal the force of nature beneath. Matt Damon, an actor who's never been in a Coens film before but seems as though he should have, also offers a great performance as the proud and buffoonish Texas Ranger LeBeouf, as do Barry Pepper and Josh Brolin in their short but effective appearances as heavies.

But the yeoman's work lies not on Bridges' grimy, slouched shoulders. Instead, our focus is on fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross, and the performance given by fourteen-year-old Hailee Steinfeld is, in short, one-of-if-not-the finest performance I've seen in quite a long time. Not content with giving such an incredible performance as a young teenager, this is, to boot, Steinfeld's first film performance. Steinfeld's Mattie Ross is smart, wily, mature, childish, scared, brave, and a force of nature in her own right. She has been wronged, she will see that wrong redressed, and nothing will stand in her way. An early scene in which she negotiates with a trader for horses and money is not only hilarious but revealing, one of the best character introductions in film history.

Such an unexpectedly straightforward film from the Coens deserves an equally straightforward judgment: I truly loved this film. There is so much greatness contained within it, from the powerhouse performances of Bridges and Steinfeld to the dark, touching, hilarious script, to Roger Deakins' breathtaking cinematography, to Carter Burwell's haunting score comprised of reorchestrations of classic hymns. It's one of the most perfect films I've ever seen. This is the second fantastic remake I've seen this year, the second to eclipse the original (the first being the superlative Let Me In). If you're wondering whether or not to see this film, wait no longer: go immediately to your nearest theater and buy a ticket. Speaking for myself: I can't wait to see it again.

Per Gunnar Jonsson

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.

CinemaSerf

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.

English

Theatrical Trailer

True Grit [Trailer 1] [HD] 2010