Review

Review Date: 26-December-10
Spoiler Rating: Low
Juju Judgment: Juicy

True Grit (2010)

On the steadily growing résumé of the Coen brothers, the western True Grit is one of the warm-'n'-fuzzier films. Other Coen pictures have showcased unique characters (The Dude, Marge Gunderson from Fargo), but few have focused on the relationship between characters to such an extent. While True Grit evinces the brothers' trademark violence and twisted humor, it's essentially a tale of misfits becoming friends due to a shared experience and dislike of apostrophes. (To create a distinctive sound, the characters all say "do not" and "will not" instead of "don't" and "won't.")

John Wayne may have garnered all the glory for the 1969 version, but in the Coens' adaptation of Charles Portis' novel the spotlight shines on the teenaged protagonist Mattie Ross. She is played by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld in a natural yet polished performance which fully merits the attention. Neatly arrayed and self-assured, Mattie arrives in an Arkansas town to take care of business following her father's murder by a man named Tom Chaney. This is the Old West, where justice is hard to come by, but Mattie is set upon revenge. Casting about for the roughest U.S. Marshal for hire, she locates an aging drunk called "Rooster" Cogburn who prefers shooting a man to discussing the fine points of innocence or guilt.

Sporting a gravelly growl and John Wayne's famous eye patch, Jeff Bridges chomps into the role of Rooster Cogburn with gusto. He is like the geezer Jack Sparrow of the Plains, funny when drunk but capable (and still funny) when sober. Failing to dissuade Mattie from the chase (she does not understand the word No), he heads into Indian country with the girl and a pompous Texas Ranger (Matt Damon) who is pursuing Chaney for other crimes. Damon adds a second layer of avuncular amusement to Mattie's quest. He recalls the paste-eating schoolboy know-it-all whose adult chaps and overlarge spurs — the era's equivalent of a gold-chained bare chest — cannot compensate for the chip on his shoulder. Even the efficient Mattie has a hard time keeping her dubious champions in line and deciding which one is more likely to achieve her goal. But when she is captured by an outlaw gang, each one proves his mettle.

Unlike most westerns where the bad guy and his downfall are central, True Grit is about the good girl and outwardly unimpressive guys who end up being worthy of her. The plot occasionally feels flimsy, as during the epilogue which strains for meaning and settles for melancholy. But the trio of leads and the eccentric characters they play define and elevate the film.

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