True Grit (2010)

Director: Joel and Ethan Coen

Screenplay: Joel and Ethan Coen (based on the book by Charles Portis)

Cast: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Hailee Steinfeld

Music: Carter Burwell

Time: 110 minutes

Bottom-line: Solid acting and excellent visuals; not a great story

In a year filled with blockbusters, True Grit was relatively unrecognised. The Coens’ Western film stars Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Hailee Steinfeld in the lead roles, with Barry Pepper and Josh Brolin in the supporting cast. The film is the first actual “revenge” story that the Coens have written for the screen. True Grit was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, but won none.

 

Steinfeld as Mattie

Fort Smith, Arkansas: Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) is a 14-year-old girl whose father has been robbed and murdered by Tom Chaney (Brolin). When Mattie approaches the local sheriff for justice, he says that Chaney has fled to an Indian territory, where the sheriff is powerless. He advises Mattie to look for a US marshal instead. Mattie talks to Marshal “Rooster” Cogburn (Bridges) and strikes a deal to pay him $50 if he brings back Chaney to Fort Smith, where he will be hanged. A Texas Ranger, La Beouf (Damon) is also looking for Chaney, who is wanted after killing a Texas senator. He wants to team up with Mattie and Cogburn and split the reward, but she refuses. In the pursuit of Chaney, the grit of each of the three characters is tested.

Bridges as Cogburn

Jeff Bridges and Steinfeld both received nominations for acting (Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress). The former, with his stylish action, mixed with moments of drunken behaviour, with his cussing and brawls, does well to capture our attention as well as tickle our funny bone. The latter was cast after competing with around 15000 others, and boy did she pull off an amazing job! With incredible maturity, her character pretty much drives the first half of the film, with the way she convinces Cogburn to do the job for her, and the manner in which she demands money for the horses. This is one of Matt Damon’s better performances, and his quarrels with Cogburn in particular, are hilarious.

 

Damon as La Beouf

As I said, the first half of the story is how Mattie gathers all her resources and sets about her revenge mission. After that, it becomes a tale of conflicts and differences between the three characters, and how they pull through. I was a bit disappointed that Brolin had very little screen time, while the image of his terror was built up a lot. The “climax” turns out to be an anti-climax; while all Coen brothers’ films have this sort of succinct climax – quick, unexpected, but logical – here, it just didn’t have that wow effect. The “epilogue” part of the film talks about how despite all the efforts made by people to stay in touch, sometimes it just never happens; all we have are memories of the past. That was a nice, sentimental touch to finish off with.

 

Brolin as Chaney

The period settings and cinematography add up to give us stunning visuals. The fights, shooting and the action are captured brilliantly. The score by Carter Burwell is also soothing – though it is an action/Western film. Overall, the film lacks a gripping plot compared to the other Coens films, but the acting, cinematography and the ending lift the film. This is far from their best work, but it’s a decent film.

My Rating: 3/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 95%