I originally saw this in the cinema and enjoyed it. Having watched on DVD a number of pointless film remakes, watching 'True Grit' again allowed me to reflect a little more. The original 1969 version with John Wayne was – and still is – a classic, and won him an Oscar for Best Actor. Is the 2010 remake as good, or better than, the original? Well, no it's not. It's good, but not that good, and perhaps that's why it didn't win any Oscars despite 10 nominations. But what makes the film is the excellent portrayal of young Mattie Ross by the then 13 year old (!) Hailee Steinfeld. Jeff Bridges has had plenty of practice playing scruffy layabouts and he slipped easily into the role of Rooster Cogburn. But Hailee Steinfeld handled a difficult, wordy role with an ease beyond her years.
I said the film is wordy... there is a lot of dialogue here, so listen carefully. Even if you don't like Westerns, see this – I think you might enjoy it. Recommended - 4/5 stars.
Like the other reviewers I turned on the subtitles for all of Bridges otherwise excellent grumblings. Matt Damon comes off his super hero pedestal for a cracking fall guy performance. This is on a par with Django for comedy but much less violent. really sorry to see the final credits.
This is a very good western. The story is of the kind we have come to expect: a desire for revenge on the part of the main character, following the murder of a family member. What is unusual, in terms of the typical Wild West storyline, is that the heroine is a girl, and a very young girl at that: a young teenager (age, 15, played by Hailee Steinfeld, remarkable), who decides, with steely determination, to avenge her father. In order to hunt down her father's killer, she needs help. Enter an unlikely duo: a Texas Ranger, who is a bit of a fool in some ways (Matt Damon), and a local marshal (Jeff Bridges), who is a one-eyed, ageing drunkard.
There are many funny moments but it does not detract, in my view, from the interest of the film, and does not undermine the narrative; it feels more realistic for it, giving a certain texture and authenticity to the story. The dialogues are quick-witted and amusing. However, that is also where there is a major problem: Jeff Bridges is very difficult to understand, as pointed out by several reviewers. I watched the film without the subtitles, but there is no doubt that I missed a lot of the repartees. This is a pity.
Overall, I recommend this film to anyone who has any interest in the genre of the western. It is memorable and enjoyable.
Joel and Ethan Coen put their stamp on the American Western with ‘True Grit’, a remake of the 1969 film starring John Wayne. Jeff Bridges takes on Wayne’s iconic character US Marshal ‘Rooster’ Cogburn and in her star turn, Hailee Steinfeld plays the young Mattie Ross, who hires him to find the killer of her father – outlaw Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). The motley crew is completed by Matt Damon as Texas Ranger LaBouef, and though they relent to work together, they end up becoming a sort of ‘payback team’ anyway. Trouble is: Cogburn is a functioning, stubborn drunk who prefers to work alone, LaBeouf is dashing but lacks tracking skills, and Mattie is an adolescent girl – deemed weak and a liability for her age, even when she can be enthusiastic and quite the smartest in the bunch.
At first I was apprehensive with the idea that writers-directors Joel and Ethan Coen were tackling a remake. They are best known for producing original screenplays – Oscar winners even (ex: ‘Fargo’ and ‘No Country for Old Men’) – and to me, it felt like they were on their lazy chairs when they decided to make their own version of ‘True Grit’. I frown upon remakes because the adage ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ exists for a reason. However, the Coens would want to change my mind.
And change they did.
With repeat collaborators Bridges (‘The Big Lebowski’) and Brolin (‘No Country for Old Men’) and the addition of Damon and Steinfeld, their chemistry proves to be the perfect recipe for a refreshing Western. The staples of gun-slinging, characters on horseback, cowboy hats, and that dang Southern accent do not cheapen its story. As far as revenge films go this is in the Top Ten. Perfectly cast as the movie’s protagonist is Hailee Steinfeld. What a trooper. Can you imagine having to star alongside experienced actors such as Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon? That could have been a very intimidating task. But Steinfeld holds her own even earning an Academy Award nomination herself. Truly, hell hath no fury than a 14-year-old girl scorned.