I am a huge Coen brothers fan, so while I am happy to start with one of their movies as my first review, I think it's a little ironic that it is one of their most decidedly un-Coen-esque. They have created their own style of dark comedydramas that can be recognized anywhere. However, in their latest effort, "True Grit," the Coen brothers were making a western, and not just a western, but a remake of a western. They had already made (and won) for No Country for Old Men, but that was a modern day western that had a lot to say about how the West was changing. One of the conclusions I drew from this previous movie was that there was no longer a place in the West for men like Tommy Lee Jones' Ed Bell or men like Rooster Cogburn. Thankfully, the brothers did not set out to make a remake, they set out to make a movie. Drawing heavily from the Charles Portis book that the 1969 movie is also based on, the brothers hammer out a script that doesn't sound like any western I've ever seen. I have heard people refer to it as Cowboy Shakespeare, and they are not far off. The dialog is fast-paced and the writers dare the audience to keep up with what the characters are saying on screen. There is no slow drawling John Wayne character, instead we have Jeff Bridges playing a Rooster Cogburn that is out to actually bring justice to the world, and has been met with the perversion of justice the world creates. So he reverts to the drunk gunslinger, similar to the drunken master of Jackie Chan's early career. Bridges is hilarious as usual, but while he was the star when he was "The Dude," in this case, he is surrounded by talent that can keep up with him. Matt Damon delivers another strong performace (when does he not), but the real find is newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, who plays Mattie Ross. Steinfeld does a great job with hard lines, and succeeds in getting more laughs than Bridges himself, all while making us believe that she could survive the west despite being a twelve year old girl.
The Coen Brothers rely on their script to tell the story and thankfully don't draw out the action. While they could have easily let the film pan out to study the gorgeous landscapes of the west, they instead focus on the back and forth between characters and succeed in creating a tighter, action-oriented movie. The movie is violent, but only in short bursts, with ideas and characters pouring through the bullet holes.
My one problem with the film is something that probably made it better. There wasn't enough Josh Brolin. I am under the impression that the more Brolin in a film, the better, and while he gets a high billing, he is in fact only in a small portion of the movie. He plays the bad guy that Ross and Rooster are after, and while we do finally catch a glimpse of something more than his picture towards the end of the movie, he only delivers a few lines. The Coens use his character more as an idea for "bad guys" in general, especially those that the justice system lets get away with crimes. In not focusing on his character we can create it a bit for ourselves. We can fill in names like Johannes Mehserle or any criminal who gets off on a formality, and instantly identify with Mattie Ross and are rooting for her. The Coens save time and probably end up with a better final product.
In all, this was a really fun movie. It is a great movie, and one that I plan on seeing again, if just to hear the great dialog between Bridges, Damon and Steinfeld. The Coen brothers made a western that was decidedly western feeling, while still putting their talents on display.
Final Verdict: 8
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