Review of True Grit (2010) by Stevenf — 07 Aug 2013

There isn't a remake here so much as there is a retelling of a classic story, someone else's interpretation if you will. Joel and Ethan Coen go down a different path from their unique storytelling and take on a Western, one which John Wayne occupied in the original outing. The Coens take a very toned down approach to what we are accustomed to see in their films, but they still have an eccentric tone to the film when the dialogue comes into place. Hailee Steinfield delivers a confident and mature performance as Mattie Ross, a young girl travelling away from home to see justice take place after a ruthless man murders her father, she is a well read and surely individual, wanting the help of the local bounty hunter, Rooster Cogburn, played with grit and hardened experience by Jeff Bridges, who begrudgingly agrees to help this 14 year old girl track down Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the man who committed the murder.

Cogburn is a battle-hardned individual who doesn't care much for the consequences of his actions, he's getting old and doesn't care much for anything anymore, much to the dismay of LaBoeuf, a young ranger who enjoys bragging about his achievements in the wild. The three set out on a long and tiring journey in search of the criminal, facing various obstacles which most of the time is each other. The film has the polished touch of a Coen piece, it has strong accents, eccentric dialogue and exceptionally memorable characters throughout, creating a standalone film that shouldn't really be seen as anything other than a retelling.

Cogburn seemingly takes the place of the father the way the story unfolds, teaching Mattie about the ways of the wild and the decisions he has made, this film is very much about these two individuals, how their characters develop and how they react in each others company, but its also a very good Western through and through, combining the slow paced and character driven moments seen in many of the greats, but also a shoot em' up adventure that never fails to entertain.

It certainly has a different touch than the typical Coen picture, but it still brims with excitement, unpredictably and heart, but it also stays true to the classic Westerns of yesteryear to deliver a nostalgic plot with a modern kick to make this an entertaining film fromstart to finish.