Movie Review: 'True Grit'

I’ve never been a western kinda gal. Most westerns I’ve tried to watch carry that slow-like-molasses pace, employing those same ingredients time and time again. I’ve come to believe that if I’ve seen one good western, I’ve seen them all. The Coen brothers seem to be the only filmmakers that can make me not only tolerate a western, but actually enjoy it. Due in no small part to all around excellent performances from the cast and a sharp and witty script, TRUE GRIT will be a western lover’s new favorite movie…and worthy journey even for those who are indifferent to the genre. A remake of the 1969 John Wayne film, TRUE GRIT follows Mattie Ross (newcomer Hailee Steinfeld) a 14-year old girl who hires U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to help track down her father’s murderer (Josh Brolin).

The film’s best quality is how well defined the characters are, Mattie especially. She’s a headstrong girl; she’s not afraid to haggle with someone if she feels they’re trying to take advantage of her financially, and she never passes up the opportunity to threaten people with legal action. In short, she’s quite a pistol. I wish I had some of her spunk when I was her age. Paired with the eye-patch-wearing, words-slurring Cogburn, they make quite an interesting duo. Bridges takes on his role as Cogburn with full force. It may not be remembered years to come like his iconic role as “The Dude” in the Coen brothers’ THE BIG LEBOWSKI, but he does a hell of a job as this rough around the edges drunk…maybe even worthy of an Oscar nomination. Matt Damon rounds out the main cast as LaBoeuf, a Texas Ranger helping Mattie and Cogburn who’s keen on bringing down the same man. This is Damon like you’ve never seen him. He’s not using his pretty boy looks here, especially in one shocking scene when he spanks the crap out of Mattie because she pisses him off. Damon, is that really you? He could have fooled me.


What kept me going, even during the “slow” parts when not much was going on, was the unexpected humor. Filled with some great one-liners, TRUE GRIT found a steady balance of laughs, shoot-outs, and suspense. The best way to keep a viewer interested? Don’t give them what they crave until the last possible moment. While watching I felt so bad for Mattie; she wants to avenge her fathers death, wants to bring his killer to justice, and people are giving her a hard time because of her age. But I felt for her cause, and I wanted that bastard dead. When you have an actor as famous and capable as Brolin in the role of the killer, you’d expect the film to use him as much as possible. Instead, the Coen brothers wisely don’t even show him until the very end, when Mattie comes face to face with him. They make the most out of his super short screen time though, with an end that kicks the crap out of the one in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (sorry, but I’ll never understand that abrupt ending)… an end that is both satisfying and fitting. Delicious retribution delivered!

Rating: B+