By Chip Schrader
Movie Reviewer
True Grit opens with a woman’s voice narrating about her father’s assassination over a black screen where a golden light slowly emerges. As the shutter opens, we slowly make out an old house front; the golden lights become recognizable as the porch light. A dead man’s body lays peacefully on the front yard as the snow falls. The scene then cuts to a man riding into the night.
This remake of the classic John Wayne movie uses the next two scenes to set the tone with some quick humor, including Rooster Cogburn being approached by fourteen-year-old girl Mattie Ross in his office, the outhouse, as he insists she come at a later time since he is likely to be a while. Mattie is a sharp-tongued, hard-bargaining young girl who puts the craggy old cowboy’s masculinity to shame. Hailee Steinfield‘s portrayal of Mattie shows her precocious mastery of rapid-fire dialog, complex phrasing, and a cool delivery that might just put her out there as the next “It Girl,” particularly when thinking back to Kirsten Dunst’s Oscar-winning performance in “Interview with a Vampire” at only a couple of years younger than Steinfield.
Jeff Bridges plays Cogburn in his second Coen Brothers’ Western, given one considers “The Big Lebowski” a modern day spoof on westerns, among other genres. While many of film’s best known actors only play themselves no matter their role, note Tom Cruise playing a German with an American accent in “Valkyrie,” Bridges is barely recognizable with his eye patch and gravelly voice, and this role is vastly different from “the Dude” he portrayed in “…Lebowski.”
Matt Damon and Josh Brolin hold up the supporting roles with equal transformative and gritty skill. Josh Brolin is a villain that is at first disarming, as unwitting as he is, but quickly reveals the wolf beneath his mask. This is a far more interesting villain than his character in “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” and he is convincing as that old school, bullet chewing killer. Damon will likely land another Oscar if he delivers performances that are as versatile as LeBeof, a Texas Ranger who can be funny, sincere, and brutal all within one shot.
The sepia interior shots look as if they are shot through a whiskey bottle, and the bleached exterior shots out on the prairie frame Cogburn as he continually rattles off anecdotes to his young companion. The use of muted and even stripped color is highly reminiscent of the groundbreaking cinematography of the Coen Brothers’ “O’ Brother Where Art Thou” where digital technology was used to make the lush southern greenery appear golden and past season.
The use of color, angles, light, and panoramic shots make True Grit the most stunning cinematic experience of 2010, and will likely hold its place through 2011. The most memorable shots come from a scene where Cogburn throws pieces of corn bread into the air and shoots them to prove his eye is sharp. The low angle shot from behind him in his duster aiming to the sky is the imagery of a classic movie poster, and would make an amazing comic book cover.
Bottom line, True Grit is a must see. The acting is fun and believable, the action and story line are engaging, and the scenery is intoxicating. The only weakness is the minor lag in conflict for the first part of the film. This could easily be a sidestep to the conventional Hollywood scriptwriting which caters to attention spans that have shortened and craves “reality” T.V. Black humor, shootouts with antique weapons, and a snowy and dusty landscape make this a homespun classic to watch with Old Grandad. 5 out of 5.
Photo caption: (Courtesy photo of True Grit)
Movie Reviewer
True Grit opens with a woman’s voice narrating about her father’s assassination over a black screen where a golden light slowly emerges. As the shutter opens, we slowly make out an old house front; the golden lights become recognizable as the porch light. A dead man’s body lays peacefully on the front yard as the snow falls. The scene then cuts to a man riding into the night.
This remake of the classic John Wayne movie uses the next two scenes to set the tone with some quick humor, including Rooster Cogburn being approached by fourteen-year-old girl Mattie Ross in his office, the outhouse, as he insists she come at a later time since he is likely to be a while. Mattie is a sharp-tongued, hard-bargaining young girl who puts the craggy old cowboy’s masculinity to shame. Hailee Steinfield‘s portrayal of Mattie shows her precocious mastery of rapid-fire dialog, complex phrasing, and a cool delivery that might just put her out there as the next “It Girl,” particularly when thinking back to Kirsten Dunst’s Oscar-winning performance in “Interview with a Vampire” at only a couple of years younger than Steinfield.
Jeff Bridges plays Cogburn in his second Coen Brothers’ Western, given one considers “The Big Lebowski” a modern day spoof on westerns, among other genres. While many of film’s best known actors only play themselves no matter their role, note Tom Cruise playing a German with an American accent in “Valkyrie,” Bridges is barely recognizable with his eye patch and gravelly voice, and this role is vastly different from “the Dude” he portrayed in “…Lebowski.”
Matt Damon and Josh Brolin hold up the supporting roles with equal transformative and gritty skill. Josh Brolin is a villain that is at first disarming, as unwitting as he is, but quickly reveals the wolf beneath his mask. This is a far more interesting villain than his character in “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” and he is convincing as that old school, bullet chewing killer. Damon will likely land another Oscar if he delivers performances that are as versatile as LeBeof, a Texas Ranger who can be funny, sincere, and brutal all within one shot.
The sepia interior shots look as if they are shot through a whiskey bottle, and the bleached exterior shots out on the prairie frame Cogburn as he continually rattles off anecdotes to his young companion. The use of muted and even stripped color is highly reminiscent of the groundbreaking cinematography of the Coen Brothers’ “O’ Brother Where Art Thou” where digital technology was used to make the lush southern greenery appear golden and past season.
The use of color, angles, light, and panoramic shots make True Grit the most stunning cinematic experience of 2010, and will likely hold its place through 2011. The most memorable shots come from a scene where Cogburn throws pieces of corn bread into the air and shoots them to prove his eye is sharp. The low angle shot from behind him in his duster aiming to the sky is the imagery of a classic movie poster, and would make an amazing comic book cover.
Bottom line, True Grit is a must see. The acting is fun and believable, the action and story line are engaging, and the scenery is intoxicating. The only weakness is the minor lag in conflict for the first part of the film. This could easily be a sidestep to the conventional Hollywood scriptwriting which caters to attention spans that have shortened and craves “reality” T.V. Black humor, shootouts with antique weapons, and a snowy and dusty landscape make this a homespun classic to watch with Old Grandad. 5 out of 5.
Photo caption: (Courtesy photo of True Grit)
