True Grit

From directors Joel and Ethan Coen ("No Country for Old Men", "Fargo") comes this stoic Western remake, starring Academy-Award winner Jeff Bridges.  14-year old Mattie Ross (newcomer Hailee Steinfeld) is on a mission to track down Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) - the drifter who murdered her father - but she can't find him alone.  For that she enlists the help of the best U.S. Marshal in town, Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn, a man described as having "true grit".  But Reuben's advanced age, gruff demeanor, and drunken tendencies - not to mention Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) also gunning for Chaney - all threaten to impede Mattie's quest for revenge.  In the Coen brothers expert hands, the desert landscapes are gorgeously shot and the plot unfolds at a satisfying pace.  Beyond the directing and story, though, are the amazing performances that really make this film worth watching.  Bridges takes on the role previously played by John Wayne, and brings all the cantankerousness to the part that he can muster.  He makes the character so prickly and unlikable that you end up liking him for the sheer fact that he just doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself.  As for Reuben's competition, the arrogant and sometimes childish LaBoeuf, Damon continues to prove that he is among Hollywood's most surprising and versatile actors.  But the real showcase here is the shockingly talented Steinfeld: her strong performance as the steely and wise-beyond-her-years Mattie can only be described as a revelation, and I eagerly look forward to seeing Steinfeld in future projects.  "True Grit" is the beautifully sad tale of a girl forced to grow up too fast and an ornery old man who unwillingly becomes her protector, but in the end it's clear that Mattie is the one with the real grit.


4 out of 5 stars