This may be as close to blasphemy as a film buff can get, but i have never been much of a fan of John Wayne. sorry, but there is only so much drawl I can take before it just gets old. When the remake of True Grit was released, a lot of film fans were up in arms about the presumption the Coen brothers had the nerve to display. Honestly, this new one is the better movie. The original True Grit was released towards the end of, what I like to call, the "romantic" period of the Western (the 1940's through 1970), the good guys were good guys, the bad guys wore black, and the women acted like submissive morons. Thank goodness that began to change in the late 60's. Westerns became darker and meaner, like the time they originally took place. 2010's True Grit is much more faithful to the book, and tells the story in a much less "romanticized" fashion. "Rooster" Cogburn was, according to legend, a broken, drunk, alienated man who grudgingly wore the badge of U.S. Marshall. John Wayne just can't pull that off. Sorry, fans. The newest incarnation is the better film from the top down. Great script, amazing performances, and the Coen brothers stamp of quality make this the best Western to be released since Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven.
Jeff Bridges pulls yet another Oscar-worthy performance out of his hat as "Rooster"Cogburn. Looking a mess and combining his unmistakeable voice with a slur like he's got a mouthful of pebbles, he makes Cogburn a fully fleshed-out person, as opposed to a two dimensional, cartoon character. Matt Damon turns in his best role since Good Will Hunting, as Texas Ranger LaBouef. Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper are marvelous as the hunted villains, providing a cruelty that is tough to watch at times. The real gem of this movie, is relative newcomer Hailee Steinfeld. Her portrayal of Mattie Ross, the girl looking to bring justice to her father's killer, is magnificent. She brings a certain naivete and pragmatism to the role that makes Mattie's choices that much more shocking.
This was a magnificent movie, definitely one of the Coens' best of all time. I am an enormous Jeff Bridges fan, as you all know by now, and his performance in this was only overshadowed by Colin Firth's in The King's Speech. This is one for my permanent library, and I can't wait for the first chance I get to watch this one again. Check it out, and don't let the specter of John Wayne's wooden performance overshadow the fact that this is the superior movie. 9.75/10.
See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
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