Film Review: True Grit

Director: Joel and Ethan Coen

The Coen brothers have an impressive track record and with that comes an air of expectation, True Grit came after 2 so-so films that followed the impressive No Country for Old Men. The second adaptation of the Charles Portis novel of the same name that had previously been made into a 1969 film starring John Wayne.

Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfield) wants revenge for the death of her father at the hands of Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), she hears that U. S. Marshal Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) is the meanest sherriff so picks him to help her find Chaney who has fled with the Pepper gang into Indian territory. Texas Ranger LeBoeuf (Matt Damon) is also hunting Chaney for the murder of a senator in his state, both groups want to catch Chaney but have different ideas about how and where his punishment should be dealt.

 U. S. Marshal Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) and Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfield)

Jeff Bridges is the stand out performer as the one eyed Rooster Cogburn, he is a likeable character who clearly develops a bond with Mattie that he keeps distant in her mind. He's the drunk that you can't help liking but he always pulls through when he is needed, his accent seems accurate for the time. Hailee Steinfield actually won the role over 15,000 other applicants and is impressive as the determined Mattie. Matt Damon is miscast in my opinion, he always turns in a capable performance in whatever he does but here he isn't the right person to play Ranger Lebeouf, a more rugid actor is needed.

It's difficult to create popular Westerns these days but they are starting to have a renaissance which seems to have been started here, they had their day and are quite often looked back upon with disdain but films like this are shaking off that moniker. The plot does lack enough thrilling moments throughout its entirety but overall it is an enjoyable Western and surely that is what they are all about.

3/4 Coen brothers produce an enjoyable light-Western