TV remake of Dr. Zhivago that came out a few years back? It lacked all of the romance and the sweeping vistas of the original David Lean film. But in True Grit, Joel and Ethan Coen have managed to pull it off. That's due in large part to the fact that they didn't just remake the film, they retold the story and re-imagined the characters. The original version with John Wayne was centered on John Wayne, as was any movie that he was in. The Duke had a larger than life persona, and he dominated every scene, towering over his co-stars, upstaging them even when he stood behind them. That original film was all about Wayne's character, Rooster Cogburn - the other characters were there simply to give him a reason to move.
In the new True Grit, the Coen brothers center the story on Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), who is seeking revenge on Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the man who murdered her father. In this version, Mattie is no shrinking violet who's just along for the ride; instead, she's the driving force behind the action, pushing everyone on to the ultimate conclusion. She's smart, tough and
resourceful. She wants Chaney killed, she wants Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to help her, and she wants to be there to see that it gets done. The Rooster Cogburn of the Coen brothers' film bears no resemblance to the Duke's character. The earlier Rooster was a man of supposed vices (we never see them), a man of honor who always does the right thing. The Coens' Rooster is a filthy, foul-mouthed drunk, who'd just as soon kill a man than bring him in. Throughout most of the film, he's drunk, and he talks in a slurring growl, like he's less than half-awake. He only agrees to go after Chaney when Mattie promises to pay him. By the end of their adventure, though, these two form a bond that will last beyond the grave.
True Grit is a powerful film, shot against a stunning landscape, with a cast of incredible actors. Matt Damon was great as the arrogant Texas Ranger who wants
to arrest Chaney and take him back to Texas to stand trial. Brolin is appropriately menacing as the vile Tom Chaney. And Hailee Steinfeld is magnificent as Mattie, a young girl trying to heard a bunch of caustic lawmen in the direction she needs them to go. The Coen Brothers paid close attention to period details right down to the way the characters speak - a very proper English with few contractions and little slang. You might call it Bible English for its formality. There is violence in the film, but it's never gratuitous; it's appropriate to the story of lawmen who practice their trade on the edge of the law and are often not much better than the criminals they are pursuing. In the end, once the bad guys have been dispatched and the violence has died down, True Grit shows itself to be a touching film about how a trying ordeal can bring disparate people together in everlasting bonds of love and respect.
True Grit is rated PG-13 and is available on DVD and Blu-ray.
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