Review of True Grit (2010) by Kelsey C — 10 Apr 2018

This was an instant favorite of mine. From Mattie's opening line to the beautiful hymn of "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" sung by Iris DeMent, I was in love with it. The humor, music, sounds; way they speak fit in so well with the tone of the film.

This film definitely makes you root for Mattie, Hailee Steinfeld, because she shows such determination in seeking justice for her father who was murdered by Tom Chaney, Josh Brolin. It's not an easy world they live in and the Coen brothers do a remarkable job showing it.

The river that Mattie crosses to get to Rooster Cogburn, Jeff Bridges, and LaBoeuf, Matt Damon, is wide and swift. She was lucky she had her horse, Little Blackie, or she would not have made it. The tree Cogburn makes Mattie climb to cut down a body that was left hanging is tall and the branch sways after she succeeds making her hang on tight so she doesn't fall.

It was definitely not how she pictured it would be, but she sticks with it. The humor in it is more random and successful through the timing and editing. Like, the first time Rooster and Mattie are talking, it's a close up of Mattie and all you see is that she is talking to Rooster through a wooden door.

After she says, "You've been at it some time," it shows that she's talking to him while he's in an outhouse. Also, when they think LaBeouf is following them, they stop and wait. They make it seem they're waiting 20-30 minutes and some guy wearing bear fur shows up and all Cogburn says is, "You are not LaBoeuf.

" The score does its job. It's soft where it needs to be. Like, in the scene where LaBoeuf leaves in the night. It's also dramatic when it needs to be. Like, when Chaney says, "All I need is your silence.

" It's an all-around great movie.