Taking a Western classic and trying to breathe new life into it is a challenge even when you cast seasoned veterans like Jeff Bridges (Rooster Cogburn), Matt Damon (Ranger LaBoeuf) and Josh Brolin (Tom Chaney). In True Grit, It was actually a relative newcomer, Hailee Steinfeld (Mattie Ross) who caught my attention. Without her performance, this film would have failed.
Mattie Ross is a tough-as-nails fourteen-year-old whose father has just been murdered by Tom Chaney. When Ross arrives in Fort Smith, AK to pay her father's embalming expenses, she sets off on an unauthorized mission. The stubborn child is far more educated than most of the adults around her, using her slick tongue to talk circles around people. She has grown accustomed to getting her way just on sheer will. She enlists the aid of a reluctant Marshal, Rooster Cogburn, to bring Tom Chaney to justice.
Rooster Cogburn is a crusty drunkard who brings 'em back more dead than alive. He has killed twenty-three men to date, and shot many others. Cogburn tries to set out without Mattie to earn the fifty dollar bounty she has placed on Chaney's head but quickly realizes he can't shake the challenging youth. The pair are joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, who claims he can shoot a rifle accurately from three hundred yards. Survival in Indian Territory proves to present challenges as the unlikely trio try to accomplish their (somewhat) common goal.
The Coen Brothers have a way of framing things from a peculiar viewpoint. I am not sure how closely the dialogue tracks the original film. The more famous lines, like "fill your hands you sons-of-bitches" were kept intact. The rest of the dialogue was sharper. Witty exchanges and impeccable timing are a trademark of the delivery in this film. If the dialogue was modified, it was likely an improvement. I found the dialogue often empowered the weaker characters creating great balance. The story and characters were exceptional, true to the original. While the Coen Brothers generally pay attention to detail, I had one minor issue with Rooster Cogburn shooting eight rounds from a six-shooter. I was kind of surprised at that oversight.
Jeff Bridges is no John Wayne. Luckily he does not try to be. Bridges has his own cadence delivered with the same crotchety gruffness as The Duke, but with his own flavor. I sincerely enjoyed Bridges, but must admit that he was upstaged by the novice Steinfield. I would like to say he made her better, but I am not certain it would be true. The sassy Steinfield delivered her incredibly well-crafted lines with flawless timing. She commanded every scene she was in, bringing an odd veteran presence to scenes she shared with Hollywood's best. If she was intimidated, it never showed. Damon added some comic relief, while Brolin role-played his halfwit character with incredible deftness in his brief appearance. Casting was perfect.
Recreating life in the late nineteenth century presents challenges that are often met by mocking up the old Western towns. It appears that True Grit took that approach, adding a feeling of palpable dimension to the scenery. The scenes integrated great costumes and sets only to waste technology on some cheap looking CGI snakes. The snake scene was overdone. It would have been better if we couldn't fully see the snakes and avoided the CGI. It took the natural elements and added plastic. I was very disappointed at such an unnatural scene in a film that otherwise had an impeccable visual feel. I also quickly grew tired of the soundtrack, which featured variations of Elisha Hoffman's Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.
True Grit received a PG-13 rating from the MPAA, which they exploited as fully as possible. The film featured some incredible violence, including multiple killings and a scene where a man's fingers are chopped off. The violence alone was extreme, but worthy of the PG-13 rating. There was also a decent amount of strong language and quite a bit of alcohol consumption. There were no adult themes or nudity, making the PG-13 rating mostly a product of the violence and language. The MPAA tends to frown on violence, liberally applying the R rating with a few drops of blood, making this rating a bit of a surprise. This one is fine for teens and above. True Grit has a run time of one hour, fifty minutes.
I enjoyed True Grit and would highly recommend the film. I am not a purist. I admit it when I like remakes, and this one fits the bill. I thoroughly enjoyed the exceptional cast, especially Steinfield. The sets and costumes were well done. The dialogue was impeccable. My biggest complaint was the ill-advised use of CGI which cheapened a scene. The pacing was sluggish in a few spots, but was mostly good. Overall, a film worth seeing. 7.5/10.
Photos and trailer subject to copyright by Paramount Pictures.
