True Grit

(Movie Review)

I was excited to see this movie, mostly because everyone else was really excited to see this movie. (Yep, I got caught up in the hype. Just call me trendy.)

I haven’t seen the original John Wayne version. (Although since I consider myself a bit of a classic film buff, I suppose I ought to get around to it someday.)

However I was impressed by all the positive reviews this film received. Furthermore I always like Coen - Brothers' movies. (I’m not always sure what to make of them afterwards, but I always enjoy sitting through them.)

And I enjoyed sitting through this movie as well. Most of it, anyways. (This is one of those movies where the end unfortunately drags out for a bit too long after the main climax finishes. But aside from the last 10 minutes or so, I was completely sucked in by the movie.)

As with any Coen Brothers film, I suppose characters and atmosphere take priority over plot. There were any number of scenes in this movie which I think contributed nothing to the plot, but which are simply there to add to the atmosphere or to emphasize character eccentricities. I think as long as you go into this movie with a relaxed attitude, and are not impatient for the story to get rolling, you’ll have a great time.

As I was leaving the movie theater, I overheard a number of people say to each other, “Well, that wasn’t a great film, but it was entertaining enough.” And I suppose that more or less reflects my attitudes to it as well. Despite all the rave reviews this film has been getting from the critics, I didn’t think it was a new classic. But it was good enough.

Jeff Bridges does a great job in this movie. Much of the movie is just a showcase for him to act like an old, grizzled, brutal Western lawman, and he makes a character worthy of that showcase.
And, somewhat to my surprise, Matt Damon also really does a good job with his role as an arrogant Texas Ranger. (I’m not generally a huge Matt Damon fan, but I think his performance in this movie should easily silence all those critics who think he can’t really act.)

Josh Brolin, although he has a relatively small part in this movie, is as always fantastic. Hollywood is filled with actors who have a very limited range, and seem to be playing the same character in every film (I’m not going to name names, but you know which actors I’m talking about.) Josh Brolin by contrast shows up as a completely different character in just about every movie he’s in, and always does so convincingly. I think he’s one of the few Hollywood stars who’s also a great character actor.

Link of the Day
What Makes Mainstream Media Mainstream

Bonus link--Megan Washington: "The Hardest Part" when I was living in Australia this song was on the radio a lot. Apparently it's by an Australian artist, so it may not have made it big back home (I'm not sure) but it's a real bouncy fun song and deserves a larger audience.

True Grit (2010): Movie Review (Scripted)