True Grit is the latest film by the Coen Brothers, the acclaimed directors of 'Fargo', 'The Big Lebowski', as well as the best picture winning 'No Country For Old Men'. True Grit is a remake of the 1969 classic, memorable for John Wayne's performance which gave him his one and only Oscar. The film stars Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin, as well as newcomer Hailee Steinfeld.
True Grit revolves around Mattie Ross (played by Steinfeld), a 14 year old girl who suffers the tragedy of her father being murdered by one of his workers, Tom Chaney. Insistent on avenging her father and bringing the perpetrator to justice, she hires the gritty and mean US Marshall Rooster Cogburn (played by Bridges). Along the way the two meet Lebouf (played by Damon), a determined and lawful, although somewhat goofy Texas Ranger also on the trail of Chaney. The film's plot is fairly straightforward, containing many of the typical Western cliches and themes, such as revenge, shootouts and cold, badass leading men. It works fairly well however, as the plot always remains entertaining and doesn't ever really feel dull. I only had problems with the ending, as I felt it progressed to quickly and seemed a little too predictable.
The cast truly shined in True Grit, specifically Bridges as Cogburn. Bridges carries on Wayne's legacy by doing an excellent job playing the rough and tough Rooster Cogburn. That is, if you can understand what he is saying with his slurred accent. Steinfeld also shines, with her strong and sassy performance as Mattie. Her lack of experience as an actress never really seems to bring her down, but instead gives a more natural feel to the performance. Damon and Brolin are fine as well, with both performances staying consistent with the two leads.
Although I've only seen bits and pieces of the 1969 originally, I'd say that it's fairly safe to say that this version does the original justice. The plot is strong, and the cast is even stronger, with some beautiful cinematography through as the cherry on top. It's not the most original film I've seen, but it wouldn't be right to say it wasn't still a great one.
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