True Grit (2010)

In American history, the “wild west” era, characterized by gunfights, duels, train robberies and general lawlessness lasted only about twenty years. Twenty years in a nearly 340 year history of America, why is it that we devote so much thought and glamor to the wild west? Why has American cinema from the very beginning produced so many Westerns for our consumption. The truth of the matter is, the wild west was incredibly interesting and undeniably exciting. For twenty years starting a short time after the Civil War, there was little to no law in the West. Honor and bravery only got you so far until some black hat picked you off from atop a hill as you walked into town. There was little that was fair back then. You survived either by being fast and aware, or by sidling up with someone who was. It is in this era that Clint Portis wrote the book “True Grit.” In 1969 it was adapted into a movie starring John Wayne. At the time Wayne said it would be his last movie. He won an Academy Award for, many people believe, his lifetime of unawarded work, instead of his work specifically for “True Grit.” I have not seen that movie. This is a not a review for that movie. This is a review for the relatively new Coen Brother's film based not off of Wayne's “Grit” but directly back to the Portis original source.

The story starts out with our heroine, Mattie Ross (Hattie Steinfeld). She's a determined young lady whose father has recently been murdered. She knows who killed her father, heck the sheriff knows who killed her father: Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). However, there's nobody that will go running after Chaney into Indian territory. Mattie goes looking to hire a marshal to find Chaney and bring him back to hang. She finds a sour, drunk, and trigger happy marshal by the name of Reuben “Rooster” Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) who has only one working eye. She's been told he has true grit, so she hires him. Along for the ride is LaBoeuf (pronounced la beef, played by Matt Damon), a cocky and overly loquacious Texas Ranger who often gets under Cogburn's skin. Mattie proves her own determination and grit throughout the journey even though Cogburn is slow to realize it.

Whenever you shoot a Western you're guaranteed at least a few breathtaking landscapes to work with. “True Grit” does not disappoint in this regard. This movie really is beautiful. The score seems to use only one tune throughout. However, this works incredibly well for the movie, and apart from noticing the same tune here and there, it really does not detract from the movie at all.

The trio finally catch up with Chaney, when Mattie, while filling a water pail, accidentally sneaks up on Chaney. She shoots him, but doesn't kill him and he takes her with her to his gang led by another wanted man, Lucky Ned Pepper (Barry Pepper). Cogburn and LaBoeuf split up with LaBoeuf going after Tom and Mattie and Cogburn going after Ned and his gang. I won't give away anymore of the movie. You really should go see it. This is what movies are supposed to be, this movie would have been great 10, 20, or 50 years ago. This movie is an instant classic.

 

There are some people who say that the Academy were too soon in giving Jeff Bridges an Oscar last year for “Crazy Heart.” While I don't think he should get the Oscar this year, I will most certainly not wonder why if he does. This movie is well acted throughout, and there is not a lacking in the entire cast. I was incredibly impressed by the 14 year old newcommer Hattie Steinfeld. She held her own amongst two academy award winners in Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon. There are many times in which she steals the entire movie. I hope this isn't the last we see of Steinfeld.

I haven't seen the original movie all the way through. I'm not entirely sure it matters if I have or not. I plan to. All I know is that this movie is incredibly well made. It is pure story telling through and through. 

10/10