Mattie Ross' (Hailee Steinfeld) father has been murdered. She wants the man who killed him, Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) to be shot dead. To do this, she enlists the help of Deputy Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges).Cogburn is a barely functioning alcoholic, but still mighty good with a gun. He accepts her offer of $100 to hunt down the man who killed her father. He is joined by a Texas Ranger named La Boeuf (Matt Damon). Mattie accompanies them on their hunt, because she doesn't trust either of them.
The rest of the story is the group's exploits in attempting to find the man who killed Mattie's father. That is just about it. There isn't a twist, there isn't a lot on the film's mind, and it's just a well-told adventure story in a western setting. Since this is a Coen brothers film, that also means that the adventure will be compelling and the characters will be interesting. The movie will also be of high quality, this we can almost be sure of before even viewing it.
"True Grit" is adapted from the 1968 novel of the same name. The novel had already been made into a film one year later in 1969. That film starred John Wayne, and won him the Academy Award for Best Actor. The Coen brothers have stated that they wanted their film to be more faithful to the novel than the 1969 film, and that they were not just reimagining that film.
Whether or not their claim is true or not is something that is hard to discern. The story doesn't really have much to alter about it, and the genre is already set in stone. In fact, this is really the first time that the Coen brothers have stuck to their genre so rigorously. They adhere to most of the standards of the Western genre, not pushing any boundaries or taking any risks.
There are only two things that actually make "True Grit" stand out from the other quality movies that are out nowadays, or the great Westerns that were made years past. The first way is differentiates itself is in the humor that it contains. The way that the Coen brothers have written their adaptation makes it humorous, while keeping a fairly dark tone. There are many funny situations and moments in dialogue, breaking up the dark moments with ones of humor.
The second way that it is different is the fact that it is a Western. There haven't been many of those lately, so having one come out automatically makes "True Grit" stand out. The last big Western film to come out was 2007's 3:10 to Yuma, itself a critical success. Having a lack of competition will certainly help "True Grit" at the box office.
Also helping it out is the fact that it features great acting performances. Despite the big names included in the cast like Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, the lead of the film is actually 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld. The story is told from her point of view, and she does a good job of carrying it. Selected from more than 15 000 auditions, Steinfeld won the role. This must have been created some anxiety from the filmmakers, as she hadn't starred in any large-scale production before. Nonetheless, the risk paid off, and she delivers an impressive performance. Her character is far more mature than many you would expect, being able to negotiate with several businessmen and get her way.
Also great are the performances by Bridges and Damon. While they don't get as much attention as Steinfeld, they are perfect for their roles. Bridges job as an alcoholic, half-functioning U.S. Marshal is always entertaining, and Damon always seems like he's having fun, no matter what is happening in the story at the time.
The story mixes a mystery with adventure, finding a good balance between the two. Characters have to look for clues regarding Chaney's whereabouts. They ride horses everywhere, and engage in shootouts. Characters travel great distances across the Wild West. There is a good sense of adventure that is given, and there is enough action to keep the audience's attention.
The characters all have depth and they develop throughout "True Grit". We are given reason to care about Mattie right away, as her character is one to be empathized with. Her father's murder gives her motivation. We also end up caring about the other characters, especially that of Cogburn. We want to see him overcome all of his issues by the end of the film. We have that hope throughout, and it helps keep our attention during the slower moments.
"True Grit" is a good film that will get attention mostly because it is a new Western film, something that there have been few of as of late. It has an interesting story, great acting and the Coen brothers' unique style of humor. It's genuinely funny, and stays entertaining throughout. "True Grit" is a well-made film that may inspire similar films to be made in the near future. It's a great Western film, something we haven't had much of lately, and that will allow it to be a success. It's definitely worth a watch, so give it one.
The rest of the story is the group's exploits in attempting to find the man who killed Mattie's father. That is just about it. There isn't a twist, there isn't a lot on the film's mind, and it's just a well-told adventure story in a western setting. Since this is a Coen brothers film, that also means that the adventure will be compelling and the characters will be interesting. The movie will also be of high quality, this we can almost be sure of before even viewing it.
"True Grit" is adapted from the 1968 novel of the same name. The novel had already been made into a film one year later in 1969. That film starred John Wayne, and won him the Academy Award for Best Actor. The Coen brothers have stated that they wanted their film to be more faithful to the novel than the 1969 film, and that they were not just reimagining that film.
Whether or not their claim is true or not is something that is hard to discern. The story doesn't really have much to alter about it, and the genre is already set in stone. In fact, this is really the first time that the Coen brothers have stuck to their genre so rigorously. They adhere to most of the standards of the Western genre, not pushing any boundaries or taking any risks.
There are only two things that actually make "True Grit" stand out from the other quality movies that are out nowadays, or the great Westerns that were made years past. The first way is differentiates itself is in the humor that it contains. The way that the Coen brothers have written their adaptation makes it humorous, while keeping a fairly dark tone. There are many funny situations and moments in dialogue, breaking up the dark moments with ones of humor.
The second way that it is different is the fact that it is a Western. There haven't been many of those lately, so having one come out automatically makes "True Grit" stand out. The last big Western film to come out was 2007's 3:10 to Yuma, itself a critical success. Having a lack of competition will certainly help "True Grit" at the box office.
Also helping it out is the fact that it features great acting performances. Despite the big names included in the cast like Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, the lead of the film is actually 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld. The story is told from her point of view, and she does a good job of carrying it. Selected from more than 15 000 auditions, Steinfeld won the role. This must have been created some anxiety from the filmmakers, as she hadn't starred in any large-scale production before. Nonetheless, the risk paid off, and she delivers an impressive performance. Her character is far more mature than many you would expect, being able to negotiate with several businessmen and get her way.
Also great are the performances by Bridges and Damon. While they don't get as much attention as Steinfeld, they are perfect for their roles. Bridges job as an alcoholic, half-functioning U.S. Marshal is always entertaining, and Damon always seems like he's having fun, no matter what is happening in the story at the time.
The story mixes a mystery with adventure, finding a good balance between the two. Characters have to look for clues regarding Chaney's whereabouts. They ride horses everywhere, and engage in shootouts. Characters travel great distances across the Wild West. There is a good sense of adventure that is given, and there is enough action to keep the audience's attention.
The characters all have depth and they develop throughout "True Grit". We are given reason to care about Mattie right away, as her character is one to be empathized with. Her father's murder gives her motivation. We also end up caring about the other characters, especially that of Cogburn. We want to see him overcome all of his issues by the end of the film. We have that hope throughout, and it helps keep our attention during the slower moments.
"True Grit" is a good film that will get attention mostly because it is a new Western film, something that there have been few of as of late. It has an interesting story, great acting and the Coen brothers' unique style of humor. It's genuinely funny, and stays entertaining throughout. "True Grit" is a well-made film that may inspire similar films to be made in the near future. It's a great Western film, something we haven't had much of lately, and that will allow it to be a success. It's definitely worth a watch, so give it one.