TRUE GRIT (includes trailer)
January 27th 2011 22:58
In Cinemas Now
When I first heard about the remake of True Grit, I was less than enthused. Firstly, I never was a fan of the original, which starred John Wayne, and secondly, I never was a fan of the other Coen Brothers remake, The Lady Killers.
While writer, director and producers Joel and Ethan Coen, have proven them selves as two of the finest film makers in the world, it also seems that when your first half a dozen films or so happen to be undisputed classics (Blood Simple, Millers Crossing, Raising Arizona, Barton Fink), it's only natural that maintaining this standard will waiver at some point. The Coens have a enjoyed a career which seems to have performed a balancing act between witty farce (Burn After Reading) and cold blooded thrillers (No Country For Old Men). In other words I had no idea where, on the spectrum, True Grit may have lied as I relaxed into my viewing.
This turned out to be a curious mix - True Grit shows the Coens having unbridled fun with their material, including reuniting with Jeff Bridges, who starred in their cult classic The Big Lebowski. Bridges dons an eye patch much like John Wayne did as he steps into the shoes of Rooster Cogburn, never trying to channel Wayne (although I have no doubt that Bridges could if he wanted to), instead making the role his own. The problem, however lies in True Grit's desire to please everyone at once, with the film feeling torn between being a solid film, with moments of genius to a well meaning but faltering crowd pleaser with thinly drawn characters and a touch too much of the spoken word.
True Grit lies in the spectrum of a decent enough, quality Coen brothers film, but it's subtle enough inconsistencies, particularly during the second half bring it down. Beginning as a brassy piece of story telling, about a 14 year old girl, wise beyond her years, without ever seeming cute (perhaps a little too wise, if you ask me). Set in the wild west, newcomer Hailee Steinfeld plays Mattie Ross, a young girl with justice on her mind and vengeance burning behind her eyes, after the unjust murder of her father. Mattie seems capable of taking care of her self as she trades and deals with the roughest that the wild west has to offer, looking to swfitfully seek revenge against her father's slayer, Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin - American Gangster, Planet Terror, No Country For Old Men).
The most impressive thing about True Grit is how it manages to pull this all off, with out seeming completely ridiculous. Mattie is a tough soul, for the most part, we never see her in a moment of weakness around anyone, even when she is over powered she kicks backs in spirit. It would appear that this very trait in her is what leads her to U.S. Marshall and misfit, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges – The Last Picture Show, The Big Lebowski, Lolly-Madonna XXX), a man who stumbles and gurgles about, but has a notorious reputation for all the bodies he has filled with lead. Bridges is sensational as Cogburn, with the ability to amuse as well as set you in to trance with each line. Bridges words seem nearly inaudible, coming off like he just swallowed his beard, but it's a great performance where each line and glance is perfectly delivered.
In true western fashion Mattie and Rooster are joined by tracker, Mr. Leboeuf, played by a dryly amusing Matt Damon, who gives his best performance since The Informant. The cast also includes the always excellent Barry Pepper (Three Burials, 25th Hour, The Green Mile), infact the whole cast is solid and always a pleasure to watch. Long time Coen Brothers collaborator Roger Deakins (Kundun, Fargo, Doubt) shoots the film to stunning results, as always, and the first half of True Grit is an impressive feat, which requires us to suspend our disbelief in the name of an adventure, as Mattie, LeBoeuf and Rooster set off on a man hunt, as cold blood infects their veins and some very promising pieces are all put into place.
It's during the second half of the film where True Grit's weaknesses begin to emerge, where the lack of substance in the character of Mattie creates a lack of any real consequences or feeling in the film, when the pay off arrives and she comes face to face with Chaney, it's then that we realize that we really don't know a single thing about her or her relationship with her dead father. Do we know what is really driving Mattie? Do we even really care? As a result, the second half dissapoints, and fails to live up to the promise of some of the first half's moments of brilliance. The actual character of Tom Chaney is somewhat of an anticlimax as well, and this all brings up questions as to why more time wasn't spent on working on the script.
True Grit diplays some truly awesome film making, but it's writing and uneven tone let it down. It's very entertaining, but definitely not what I would call a high quality film, despite Deakins seductive cinematography and the strengths of it's fine casting. True Grit has a fun mixture of playfulness and violence that bump heads - that's not one of it's flaws, in fact it's the best thing the film has going for it. It's main problem is the over all direction and point of view of the story, which seems muddled, as it's unique bite fails to gel with it's broader family appeal.
I imagine True Grit will find it's groove with most audiences who will probably respond favourably to it, but I also suspect that those pleased by it's family film leanings will be turned off by it's occassional dark heart and vice versa, it's a pity that Joel and Ethan Coen couldn't make up their mind over which one they wanted to make before the camera's rolled, it had the potential to be a fantastic journey into the old west.
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I hope it doesn't take too many Oscars. Hailee was very good, but then so was Barry Pepper.
Roger Deakins does superlative work once again.
I want the Coens to make a horror movie.
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Good to see you posting again - get that Black Swan up
Hope all is well with you
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I haven't seen this remake yet but like you was never enamored with the original (prefer the sequel for its African Queen in the West feel) nor the novel (Its no Elmore Leonard western.)
Guess I will check it out though for the Coen's name and Brolin/Bridges.