Grade: A+
Doubtless you’ve heard the old expression “they don’t make ‘em like they used to” used in countless situations, always hearkening back to some better era where everything, be it cars, toys or movies, was simply better than it is today. “True Grit,” the Coen brothers adaptation of the 1968 Charles Portis novel that was made into the 1969 film of the same name that won John Wayne his only Oscar, is the embodiment of that idea fulfilled.
It is a work that hearkens back to the films of yesteryear like few modern films have ever approached, whose story and characters possess the sort of heart and humanity rarely seen anymore.
The story of “True Grit” is much like any other revenge tale — the hero’s loved one is murdered in cold blood, and from there our protagonist sets out on a journey to avenge the death, proving his or her worth to the older, more experienced travelers along the way. Working in the film’s great favor is that the hero here is Mattie Ross, played by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, a quick-witted, quick-to-shoot 14-year-old girl.
Accompanied by Jeff Bridges’ version of U.S. Marshall Reuben “Rooster” Cogburn and Matt Damon’s Texas Ranger La Boeuf, she sets forth in pursuit of her father’s killer with a sense of wisdom and ambition unusual in most heroes and heroines twice her age.
It’s in the characters and their respective journey’s that “True Grit” finds it’s footing, working their way through a script who’s old West whip smart dialogue reads like a great play. They talk fast and often poorly, with many of their character’s traits reflected in how it is they talk in day-to-day life. The language is what pushes the story forward, as the tale itself is simple and bare.
A western seems out of place for filmmakers often known for their darker caricatures of the human condition in films like “Fargo” and “No Country for Old Men.” Who knew, though, that a Western would prove the perfect way for the Coen’s knack for language and quirky to exhibit itself in its purest form?
Portis’ novel is filled with the sorts of characters that seem to fall right in line with many of the Coen’s quirky cinematic concoctions, and indeed the brothers’ realization of them on screen is nothing short of astounding. Bridges’ teaming up with the brothers for the first time since “The Big Lebowski” is a revelation as the drunken, dangerous Cogburn, who’s every word seems to be as liquor infused as it does the wisdom of a wiseman. His chemistry with Damon is perfect, especially in light of the surprisingly light tone most of the film takes. But it’s Steinfeld who’s the true standout here, conveying more than anyone what it is to have true grit.
“True Grit” is without a doubt a film to be treasured, the sort that you’ll want to share with your children generations from now to show them how they used to make movies way back when.
Contact the critic at vburnton@asu.edu
