Remakes are the latest craze in a dollar driven Hollywood. It seems that producers from every major studio are looking to the past as a means to find a guaranteed dollar from a franchise or modern classic buried in the past. Once films are remade, they’re usually done so to an unproven studio director or are embarrassingly made to ensure a quick turn around. It’s under this lazy, hasty guise that filmgoers felt uneasy when word broke that the Coen Brothers would be filming their own version of True Grit, an incarnation that would be more on par with the source material of the same name. Even more so, Wayne purists were ready to rage once the announcement was made. It’s one thing to remake The Karate Kid, but to reinvent the film that won John Wayne an Oscar is surely sacrilegious! Let’s be honest, True Grit isn’t famous for being good anymore than it is for being one of Wayne’s last, great performances. If a remake or reincarnation of a prized novel were to be shoved down our throats, in the very least we can take solace in the fact that it’s being forced down by the venerable Coens.
Lest we forget that the Coen Brothers intention with their adaptation of True Grit was to deliver a more faithful adaptation that retains the perspective of Mattie Ross, the book’s protagonist. For those who feared that the Coens' idiosyncratic flourishes would tarnish the goodwill the novel or the John Wayne centered film had generated, your fears go unfounded. Aside from a handful of colorful characters, the Coens have crafted the most accessible film of their careers. Even if it’s devoid of their atypical flair, the Coens still have remnants of their distinct fingerprints on the film. Most of which shows its head in the film’s deliberate pacing and the eclectic dialogue the falls out of our character's mouths. Otherwise, True Grit is a linear western that harkens back to the films that invaded the multiplexes decades ago. The film tells the tale of Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), a 14 year old girl who’s in search of her father's killer. The man who laid Mattie's vindictive path is a two bit criminal named Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), a coward who seeks refuge in Choctaw land. Knowing that her knowledge about Choctaw territory is lacking, Mattie searches for a guide with a mean streak. In her search, Mattie stumbles upon the ruthless Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), a surly U.S. Marshal who sees the law of the land as being open to interpretation. Initially disinterested in Mattie’s attempts to recruit him, Cogburn eventually breaks down due to his need for cash and Mattie’s persistent attitude.
Forming an odd tandem, Cogburn and Mattie scour Chocktaw nation with a Texas Ranger by the name of Labeouf (Matt Damon) following close behind. Perhaps it’s Mattie's desire for redemption or her naive mindset that allows her to continuously forge through the problems that befall her journey. She does so in spite of the pessimistic nature that resides in Cogburn and Labeouf. Although the trail they follow is full of kinetic moments, often their ride through the barren landscape is at the pace of a 400 pound man riding a donkey. As inspiring as it is to see the Coens not dictating to convention, their off putting pace at times slows the film’s momentum down to a halt. Some of these moments revolve around the Coen Brothers injecting the story with an assortment of bit characters who offer minimal information in return for too much screen time. These moments, though far and between, are redeemed through the tremendous acting from Bridges, Damon, and Steinfeld. Bridges does his part by deftly blending a comedic drunk with a tragically lonely gunman. Counter punching Bridges performance is Damon. Damon does a terrific job of breaking down his pretty boy Texas Ranger with insecurities and diminished self worth. No matter how much experience and excellence is brought to the screen by Bridges and Damon, they don’t trump the work of Steinfeld. With the crux of the film resting on Steinfeld’s ability to bring Mattie’s adamant mindset to the forefront, there is a lot of pressure on the young actress to deliver.
Thankfully the pressure is handled with great composure. Steinfeld’s ability to command the screen and demand attention from her counterparts is damn impressive. Without her convincing portrayal, the Coens' emphasis on Mattie’s perspective would surely falter, leading to a film that’d likely collapse on itself. All of the actors provide a great amount of credence to the fantastic dialogue the Coen Brothers have constructed, but accentuating the performances is the beautiful cinematography by Roger Deakins and the dead air that the Coens conjure up in their most stirring scenes. Always known for grasping with themes riddled in danger and pitfalls, the Coen Brothers fill True Grit with an assortment of lessons that Mattie must learn the hard way. From the ascension of quick violence to the treachery of western justice, Mattie is constantly walking the line between morality and redemption. Credit must go to the Coens for constantly challenging their proud protagonist to an ending that gives out both beneficial and detrimental consequences. Their spotlight on Mattie, a clear difference from Wayne’s True Grit, is a dramatic rope that strings us along to the end. Although this will probably be the Coens' last attempt to create a relatively mainstream film, it certainly deserves to be considered one of their most heartfelt and complete efforts that wisely expands upon the source material.
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