OSCARWATCH 2011 - True Grit

The Coen Brothers strike again, this time bringing us a good ol’ country western, a remake of a 1969 John Wayne flick. This time around we’ve got Jeff Bridges filling the boots of Rooster Cogburn, a tough US Marshall who is hired by a very well-spoken and determined young girl, Mattie Ross to find Tom Chaney — the murderer of her father (sounds confusing, right?). They end up working together with LaBoeuf, a Texas Ranger who has been tracking the same murderer for several months. A real western adventure ensues.

Needless to say, eventually they find the murderer (after many days of searching, and some intense run ins with the rebellious Lucky Ned Pepper’s gang). I won’t say what happens next, I don’t want to spoil the fun. I will say that there are some unexpected twists even at the end of this film. But one thing’s for certain — the star of the show from start to finish is Hailee Steinfeld, the 14-year-old actress who went from unknown to Oscar-nominated in less than a year. Her performance in this movie is spot on, delivering intricate dialogue with the confidence and assuredness of someone who’s been around for quite a while. It’s quite impressive.

Bridges is also great as Rooster, playing the tough/drunken role with vigor and what I like to think of as style. I love Jeff Bridges in pretty much anything he does, and this movie is no exception. Rounding out the main cast members is Matt Damon as the slightly odd but ultimately likable LaBoeuf. I enjoyed Damon’s work in this film as well, his character works well as a contrast to Rooster.

I loved how this film was shot; the cinematography is beautiful, showing us the magnificence of the great West. I also enjoyed the pacing. The Coen brothers tend to move slow at times, but it doesn’t serve to bore the viewer as much as build tension in any given scene. The only qualm I have with the film is the ending — we close after an odd scene with a grown up Mattie Ross that left me feeling a little unsatisfied.

But overall, the Coen Brothers delivered a film that really resonates as a more traditional Western, and I enjoyed it much more than I anticipated. I’m not sure if it will bring home any trophies come Sunday, but Hailee may end up upsetting Melissa Leo in the Best Supporting Actress Race. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Like a true Old Western standoff.

Rating:

4 out of 5 on the Marci scale.