In a return to the look and feel of classic westerns, True Grit remakes the 1969 film of the same name. This take fills John Wayne’s Oscar winning role with reigning holder Jeff Bridges. The hard-nosed US Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Bridges) is on the trail of a known killer alongside a “by the book” Texas Ranger (Matt Damon) and the young daughter of a murder victim (Hailee Steinfeld). The trio is obviously an odd couple troupe of bounty hunters, but what is equally as entertaining is the difference between the actors involved.
Bridges’ obsessive commitment to the Cogburn character is unwavering, carrying the weight of the film on his shoulders, as elite actors should. With this pressure off, Damon is able to evolve with the story and portray a person more likely to be seen in real life. Steinfeld builds off the others, committed, but adapting as she moves along.
While highly popular, the original story needed to be adapted to fit modern cinematic standards. The Coen brothers did well, maintaining classic themes and characterization with contemporary elements mixed in. Pacing is relatively slow throughout, but never boring. It tends to correspond directly to Cogburn, which falls into my previously mentioned point about Bridges making the movie come to him.
It’s very easy to ignore the setting with such strong players on screen, but everything from the landscapes to set pieces are on point. Perfectly lit, while being almost completely outside, the film sticks to the fundamentals. Not to mention it’s a lesson in strong point of view filming and flawless editing. As much as I like to see new faces during award season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bridges’ name called a few times. True Grit doesn’t need to resort to any cheap camera tricks or gimmicks to gain respect. Everything is put out there in the open and to great effect. (9.2 out of 10)
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