TRUE GRITWriter/Director- Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring- Hailee Steinfeld, Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper.
After it romped in with 10 Oscar nominations earlier in the week, recieved stellar reviews and great box office performance, one could assume the new Coen Bros. film had a lot going for it. The film, of course, is True Grit.
Based on the Charles Portis novel, it tells the story of Mattie Ross (Steinfeld), a sharp, steely 14 year old whose father gets murdered and pillaged. She wants revenge, so she recruits a one eyed, trigger-happy US Marshal by the name of Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn (Bridges, in the same role that John Wayne got his Oscar for). Accompanying them on their quest to find the killer, Tom Chaney (Brolin), is a boastful Texas Ranger (Matt Damon).
Not as eccentric as the Coen Bros. previous offerings, the film stays true to the source novel and works well as a Western. The performances are all fine, newcomer Hailee Steinfeld holding up against the heavyweights she's acting alongside. One problem with Jeff Bridges, though, is his almost undecipherable murmuring- in one particular coutroom scene it is extremely hard to follow. The cinematography by the great Roger Deakins is breathtaking, and the art direction impeccable.
So, this should be a brilliant film, shouldn't it?
Well, no.
As solid as it is, there's a certain dullness, an emotional detachment, that hinders the film. The film seems to go on without much excitement (apart from a few scenes), and so by the end of the film, it's hard not to have a feeling of unfulfilment.
The bottom line- Watch it if you want to see a good Western that's beautiful to look at, but don't expect usual Coen Brothers fare.
7/10
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