Best western

I apologize if this review ends up being shorter than most of my current film ones are. The reason it might be is that when I saw True Grit, I was fighting a cold so my head wasn't fully into the movie. I may end up doing another more in-depth review at another point in time if I get to see this again. But for now, this will have to suffice.

In a lot of ways, the quality of this film was a no brainer from the get-go. Even though some may view re-making this John Wayne classic as akin to desicrating sacred territory, it's clear that the Coen brothers have nothing but the utmost respect for not only the original film, but also the novel which the film is based on. Rangling up great actors like Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin to fill the primary roles in the film was enough to guarantee this would not be an insult to its predecessor.

While many will, it really is unfair to try and make a comparison between The Duke and Jeff Bridges' portrayal of U.S. Marshall, Rooster Cogburn. Wayne's certainly has its charm, but Bridges once again delivers a great performance. This is by no means an imitation. If anything Bridges channels more of The Dude than the Duke for his performance. By now, it should be clear to anyone familiar with Bridges' work that he has no problem coming off looking disheveled, lost, and just plain out of sorts in many of his roles. But no matter how rough of an exterior, he finds a way to always bring a level of humanity to his characters and this one is no different.

And for as crusty as Cogburn is, he's balanced nicely by Matt Damon's slick portrayal of a Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf. Damon delivers some great lines in the film no matter who he's in the scene with. He does a nice job of sliding back and forth between slimy and heroic. It's a shame he's not getting more recognition as it relates to awards because he actually may have been my favorite character in the film. As for Brolin, he doesn't show up in the third act, but certainly does the most with his limited time. Through his performance, he's able to ratchet up the intensity to the appropriate level.

What many are quickly realizing, however, is that while these gentlemen are getting the initial recognition based on their star power, the true highlight of the film is young Hallie Steinfeld, playing Mattie Ross, the girl who hires Cogburn to find her father's killer. She has tremendous poise and comes off appearing to be a seasoned actress when involved in scenes with these screen legends, even though she was only 13 when the film was shot. I hope this isn't a one shot deal for her, because she definitely has a bright future ahead of her in the field of acting.

If I had a criticism of the film, it's that I had actually expected it to be a bit more, well, gritty. While there are gunfights and bloodshed, this is far from the gorefest that it could have been. Given that the Coens, who have directed films like Fargo and Burn After Reading, were helming this film, I certainly anticipated more violence. In retrospect though, the film didn't need it. It was just misguided expectations on my end. The focus here is more on the story. And while the Coens' trademark violence may not be fully on this display in this picture, their signature dialogue still is there. There are a number of great scenes of back and forth banter that are clever, funny, and engaging. At times, it was tough to catch all of it; yet another reason I want to watch this film again.

There is nothing flashy about True Grit. This is just old fashioned storytelling at its finest being brought to life by some terrific actors. I love that it has been able to find an audience whereas so many Westerns before it couldn't. This is an excellent film that moves along at a fast pace. It was hard to believe how quickly the two hours flew by. If you're one of the few who hasn't watched it yet, set your sights on it and saddle up for a fun ride. Grade: A-