True Grit

Follows the book, amazing western. One of my favorite movies. Rooster Cogburn is an immortal part of American literature and culture. Absolute masterpiece!

...much the same as Rooster.Fortunate for me, the last time I saw the original I was just a small lads and therefore felt no guilt for insufficient reverence or fidelity to The Duke. My thought going in was that it would be a good time to revisit the original version. Half way through Bridges and Steinfeld were creating such compelling characters that reading the book came to mind. By the end of it however both notions dropped away. Not now; much too soon. The zen of True Grit 2010 is aging nicely and unblended in the oak-charred-whiskey-barrel of my psyche.This is 5 stars if ever there was one. I am admittedly a Coen-head but the juxtaposition the Coens, setting, music, and a cast of superb players creating truly unforgettable characters make this the best movie of its kind I have ever seen. I am reluctant to declare it THE best movie I have ever seen in my life but in five weeks watching it every Saturday night I can recall none to surpass it. This is where the guilt kicks in because repeat short-span movie watching is a personal taboo; I could not help myself on this one. My standing applause to all involved with this film, especially Bridges, Steinfeld, Daymon as well the fabulous complimentary cast, Mathews and Pepper especially stick out.It is a powerful interpretation of the time and place appropriately ratcheted up for entertainment value and masterfully done. The characters range from audacious, colorful, and subtle; but all are authentic. I think there are some Faulkner-esk touches to the story. I plan to make a study of the book after the emotional attachment to the Coen version fades to a manageable degree.Of the few knits that I have seen picked from professional critics two of them are;Mattie was too modern and `you are not the boss of me'. I found her temperament to be commensurate with her apparent education (e.g. writ of replevin) and her objective. The event that triggered her mission would plausibly fortify an extra measure of pugnacity and independence. I saw no deviation in any of her character qualities taken collectively.The other criticism was that the outdoor panoramas seemed washed out. I thought they fit the season; slanted and diffused winter light. That was consistent with the winter light coming in the window at Cogburn's testimony.I ditto these insightful contributions already well articulated by other reviewers with which I fully concur;"...the most emotionally engaging movie they've ever made, including Fargo." [the movie left me with my chest laid open as if by a scatter gun]"...What elevates this movie from the original is the closer following of the source material: Charles Portis' novel. It isn't perfect, but the Coens portray a much darker, grittier time and circumstances." [and often times a more tragic world; I think the dirty coats, muddy boots, greasy hair, rotten teeth, and dialogue without contractions were excellent cinematic enhancements.]"...Jeff Bridges is NOT John Wayne, and, that being said, makes a much better Rooster than John. John was restricted by what he could do as an actor acting in the time the film was made. Jeff is not under such restrictions...." [clear cut best actor of the year imo]"...Hailie Steinfeld.... She handles the old-fashioned language well, does not suffer at all from misguided efforts to be cute or charming, and never seems like a modern kid playing dress-up, a fault I frequently find with child actors in period films." "...astonishing in her confidence and command at 13 years old of a starring role with a lot of difficult dialogue and plenty of nuance in the complexity of her character." [at one point I marveled at the authenticity of the facial expression she produced when Mattie took an insult; she will capture your heart like Dorothy in WOZ but for totally different reasons]"...Carter Burwell's music in `True Grit' just every bit as perfectly fit the characters, the events, and the surroundings and atmosphere in this film as it did in the sweeping hit `The Alamo'" [piercing and almost haunting in its contribution] - this movie has been a treasure to me!

I love, love, love True Grit. It's beautifully made -- great lighting, cinematography -- and the dialog is hilariously witty and delivered so dry pan that it's made even more delightful.Cross-examining Lawyer: So, you say that when Amos Wharton raised his axe, you backed away from him.Rooster Cogburn: That's right.Cross-examining Lawyer: In what direction were you going?Rooster Cogburn: Backwards. I always go backwards when I back up.To top it all off, the acting is first rate. Jeff Bridges makes an amazing Rooster Cogburn -- I was afraid he would just be Bad Blake in the West but not so; I did not realize immediately that LeBoeuf is portrayed by Matt Damon -- it's a Matt Damon I've never seen before, and has there ever been a funnier pretentious braggart of a Texas Ranger?; and Hailee Steinfeld is perhaps the most outstanding of all as Mattie Ross whose grit is truer than any man's.Along the way, our little group also runs into the likes of Josh Brolin as Tom Chaney, the object of the search because he killed Mattie's father and she will not be deterred from her quest to see him punished; and Barry Pepper as Lucky Ned Pepper.I love the characters' precise way of speaking, their beautiful diction -- an interesting touch I don't believe I've ever seen in a western.LaBoeuf: You are getting ready to show your ignorance now, Cogburn. I don't mind a little personal chaffing but I won't hear anything against the Ranger troop from a man like you.Rooster Cogburn: How long have you boys been mounted on sheep down there?LaBoeuf: My shaggy horse will be galloping when that big American stud of yours is winded and collapsed. Now make another joke about it. You are only trying to put on a show for this girl Mattie with what you must think is a keen tongue.Rooster Cogburn: This is like women talking.LaBoeuf: Yes, that is the way! Make me out foolish in this girl's eyes.Rooster Cogburn: I think she has got you pretty well figured.Mattie Ross is so tenacious that were she to grow up and become a lawyer, I would want her to defend me if I got myself into trouble, or I would want her to prosecute if someone wronged me. I particularly enjoy the sequence when she negotiates with Colonel Stonehill to be paid for her father's stolen horse, to get the money back for the mustangs her father purchased from Stonehill, and then gets one of the mustangs back to ride herself.Mattie Ross: I guess I have a $10 horse. Tell Col. Stonehill I said 'Thank you'.Stableboy: No ma'am. He said he don't never want to hear your name again!I have only vague memories of the original True Grit. It came out in 1969 when I was but a sniveling milk-fed pumpkin of a child. I know John Wayne finally won an Academy Award for playing Rooster Cogburn. The original made so little impression on me that I didn't remember much of what it was about. Merely recall Rooster Cogburn's eye patch.So see the old movie if you want to make a comparison, but I don't know that I'd waste my time on it. Go with today's True Grit and God bless the Coen Brothers.Rooster Cogburn: [LaBoeuf has been talking about malum prohibitum and malum in se] It astonishes me that Mr. LaBoeuf has been shot, trampled, and nearly bitten his tongue off, and yet not only does he continue to talk but he spills the banks of English.