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These days, it’s hard to find a movie that has the feel of a classic western. “True Grit,” written and directed by Ethan and Joel Coen, stands out as an exception to this.
Jeff Bridges plays as U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn during the post-Civil War era. One-eyed, ruthless, and swaggering drunk, Cogburn is employed by fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross (played by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld) to hunt down a man named Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) who killed her father and is on the run from the law.
But Chaney has another enemy; his past is scoured from also breaking the law in Texas. This prompts Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) to join forces with Cogburn and Ross who ride together across the West, meeting all sorts of adventure along the way.
There are poisonous snakes, gritty violence (including those ever-memorable gunfights), and plenty of cowboys in this near-perfect remake of the 1969 version with John Wayne.
While it’s true that most who have seen the original will admit that it was better, the new “True Grit” will easily receive Best Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Picture nominations.
John Wayne received Best Actor for his portrayal as Cogburn, but Jeff Bridges fills those large cowboy boots and shines. Steinfeld does great as an independent and strong-willed young woman, while Damon pulls off a very exceptionable Texas Ranger. All three characters have to deal with each other’s stubbornness, Cogburn the old-fashioned adventurer, Ross the impatient youngster searching for revenge, and LaBoeuf the faithful Southerner.
It’s interesting seeing Cogburn and the Texas Ranger work together, because of the rawness of post-Civil War feeling still present in the United States at the time, and they offer two exceedingly different viewpoints of men’s lives during the 1870’s, namely the Northern mans verses the Southern man’s perspective.
While Brolin is great as a cowardly (yet somewhat daunting) villain, he is not in the movie very often. The story follows Ross, so the villains are largely absent until the final minutes of the film.
The West is as barren and chilling as anyone would expect it to be. In several scenes, snow falls silently, but the beauty is accompanied by an always-present sense of loneliness.
The film itself is shot gorgeously. One of the best-looking scenes involves a behind-the-back shot of Jeff Bridges tossing small targets drunkenly over his head and shooting at them with his pistol, with the sunlight beaming directly into his face.
Although many viewers are tiring of Hollywood’s endless trend of remakes “True Grit” is a masterpiece that all can enjoy.
“True Grit” successfully recreates the charm of its classic predecessor. While the original tops the Coen brothers’ version, it does so ever so slightly.
