Filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen are true American treasures, pure and simple. Who else could take on a sacred cow like True Grit, as well as an iconic performance by John Wayne and make it their own? Only the Coen brothers. Where others have failed in the attempted re-birth of the great American western, the writer/director brother team has found success, and perhaps Oscar-bait.
Not unlike the great Clint Eastwood film Unforgiven, True Grit reintroduces us to the genre some had written off after so many poor outings by others. Make no mistake, it has to be easier to write your own material, especially when you have established such a unique voice as the Coen's, than to adapt a beloved classic.
Drawing largely from the original novel by Charles Portis, this version is darker, more gothic and possibly more true to life than one may have imagined. Blending language of the era, a la TV's Deadwood, the Coens bring their witty repartee to the fore, while letting Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) and LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) chew the scenery.
The true find of this film has to be Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross. Word is that the Coens auditioned 15,000 girls to find the right one, and Hailee is it. This young actor holds her own with Bridges, which is no small feat. Of equal note is the fine, subtle performance of Josh Brolin as "No Good Tom Chaney," who shot Hailee's father in cold blood. His performance renders him nearly invisible and his range as an actor continues to grow with each new role. In fact, the costuming, casting and other elements of the film deserve recognition due to their complete accuracy. When Rooster and Hailee encounter the band of thugs, one can almost smell the rotting teeth and whiskey breath oozing from the menacing men.
While the story arc is largely implied from the trailer, as well as through common community cultural knowledge, the way the events of the manhunt unfolds manages to take the audience along nicely and delivers at every opportunity. Much like 3:10 to Yuma, the audience ends up deeply invested in the wellbeing of the central characters in a way oftentimes unique to any film, let alone a western. While many people bemoaned the remake from the start, others realized that the unique stamp the Coen brothers would place on the film would be worth the journey
It is a rare film that can inspire awe with its cinematography, elicit smiles and nods with its writing, and wow the entire audience with great performances, but this film does just that. This is an elegant, thoughtful and classic version of a true American story.
Thank you Joel and Ethan!
