True Grit
Let me start off by saying that I am not a fan of the most famous True Grit starring John Wayne. I do not like Westerns in general and I do not care for John Wayne’s stature as an actor. In fact, I do not consider him an actor. He was more of an American icon who appeared in movies. Much like other American Icons, like Stallone, Eastwood or Schwarzenegger (who ironically is of Austrian origins, but hey, we are a land of immigrants), he merely portrayed personas of himself in movies as opposed to transforming himself into the characters he was supposed to play. That is what an ‘actor’ does; transform themselves into other personas.
What are my issues with most Westerns? Most of them portray the West as a sterile place where the good guys are clearly distinguishable from the bad guys. The good guys are of strong moral values and good hygiene. The bad guys snarl and do bad things just for the sake of being bad. Even though none of us were alive back then and don’t know for sure, it never rang true in the story telling.
The newest interpretation of True Grit does ring true. The good guys and the bad guys are not distinguishable by how clean shaven they are. No one is motivated by just doing good and frontier life is not romanticized. In fact, there are several scenes that I winced by things that were probably perceived as normal back then. The public hanging in the town square was frighteningly uncomfortable by how routine it seemed.
Introducing Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross. A true fourteen year old playing the role of a fourteen year old. The John Wayne version starred Kim Darby who was over 20 at the time. I was skeptical going in as I am not fond of child actors and she was so hyped, I thought I would be too critical. Suffice it to say she completely won me over. The best child actor performance I have ever seen and I will be amazed if she doesn’t get an Oscar nod. She was sassy and precocious, things I hate in child actors, but it fit this role perfectly. I feel she even overshadowed Jeff Bridges probable Oscar performance.
Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn. Where John Wayne portrayed the character while wearing a hair piece and man girdle (that is true), Jeff Bridges portrayed him as someone more akin to the town drunkard and a street person than some romanticized version of an old Western Marshall. Back in the 1800’s justice was not as black and white as we were led to believe. A man could be a drunkard and thief in one territory and yet become a drunkard and lawman in the next. Jeff Bridges effectively plays Rooster as a guy you would hold your nose upon meeting and he doesn’t play it over the top.
Matt Damon portrays Le Beouf (originally portrayed by Glenn Cambell). I have to give a begrudging admiration to an actor I don’t necessarily think as that good. This is the second time in as many months that I have had to give it up for Mr. Damon (the last time was in ‘Hereafter’). Matt is able to portray the Texas Ranger as someone who you both like and dislike simultaneously.
True Grit is supposed to be a tribute to the men of yesteryear who supposedly possessed a quality and toughness no longer seen in the modern world. While this may be true, the reason I liked this movie is because it shows that this quality does not always manifest itself in a clean and civilized package. In fact, those qualities often go hand in hand with qualities that we don’t necessarily find admirable.
This movie rang true to the way life was probably like back then, yet at the same time kept the romanticism that made American (and Italian) Westerns so memorable. I originally wondered why the Cohen Bros. wanted to remake this, but I’m glad they did. They remained faithful to the source material and kept their quirkiness which I love so much, in check.
I rate this: ****
What are my issues with most Westerns? Most of them portray the West as a sterile place where the good guys are clearly distinguishable from the bad guys. The good guys are of strong moral values and good hygiene. The bad guys snarl and do bad things just for the sake of being bad. Even though none of us were alive back then and don’t know for sure, it never rang true in the story telling.
The newest interpretation of True Grit does ring true. The good guys and the bad guys are not distinguishable by how clean shaven they are. No one is motivated by just doing good and frontier life is not romanticized. In fact, there are several scenes that I winced by things that were probably perceived as normal back then. The public hanging in the town square was frighteningly uncomfortable by how routine it seemed.
Introducing Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross. A true fourteen year old playing the role of a fourteen year old. The John Wayne version starred Kim Darby who was over 20 at the time. I was skeptical going in as I am not fond of child actors and she was so hyped, I thought I would be too critical. Suffice it to say she completely won me over. The best child actor performance I have ever seen and I will be amazed if she doesn’t get an Oscar nod. She was sassy and precocious, things I hate in child actors, but it fit this role perfectly. I feel she even overshadowed Jeff Bridges probable Oscar performance.
Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn. Where John Wayne portrayed the character while wearing a hair piece and man girdle (that is true), Jeff Bridges portrayed him as someone more akin to the town drunkard and a street person than some romanticized version of an old Western Marshall. Back in the 1800’s justice was not as black and white as we were led to believe. A man could be a drunkard and thief in one territory and yet become a drunkard and lawman in the next. Jeff Bridges effectively plays Rooster as a guy you would hold your nose upon meeting and he doesn’t play it over the top.
Matt Damon portrays Le Beouf (originally portrayed by Glenn Cambell). I have to give a begrudging admiration to an actor I don’t necessarily think as that good. This is the second time in as many months that I have had to give it up for Mr. Damon (the last time was in ‘Hereafter’). Matt is able to portray the Texas Ranger as someone who you both like and dislike simultaneously.
True Grit is supposed to be a tribute to the men of yesteryear who supposedly possessed a quality and toughness no longer seen in the modern world. While this may be true, the reason I liked this movie is because it shows that this quality does not always manifest itself in a clean and civilized package. In fact, those qualities often go hand in hand with qualities that we don’t necessarily find admirable.
This movie rang true to the way life was probably like back then, yet at the same time kept the romanticism that made American (and Italian) Westerns so memorable. I originally wondered why the Cohen Bros. wanted to remake this, but I’m glad they did. They remained faithful to the source material and kept their quirkiness which I love so much, in check.
I rate this: ****
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