I'm a huge John Wayne fan (never got over metting him when I was 7) and the orignal True Grit is one of my favorite westerns so impressing me was a tough job. I watched the new version twice. Job done-- pretty well. Bridges is no John Wayne (who is?), Damon dwarfs Glen Campbells performance and Haliee Steinfield equals Kim darby's stellar performance. The Choen boys tweek the script enough, but not too much, to make it thier own. thier signature touches are a bit non-sequiter, but at the same time don't detract from the story. But why doesn't Rooster make a joke to the Ranger about knowing a Doctor at the right moment? they missed the boat on that one. No double oscar for Jeff, but Matt and Haliee deserve a hard look. As for Josh Brolin-- other than looking like his dad, I fail to see his talent. Go see it. if you have kids, take them. if you have a young daughter, take her and all her friends.
My dad wants to go see that movie, I'd like too too! Looks pretty gritty, gotta love grit lol if that makes sense. (HAH! yes, yes... I said tutu.)
True Grit Movie Blurb by Shale December 24, 2010 Having been raised in the Vast Wasteland of Westerns on TV and movies all my life, guess I sorta burned out on them. Then along comes this remake of a 1969 classic (which I never saw) with three current actors that I like, so I went to check it out. And, I liked it. The story is narrated by Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld - who just turned 14 this month), recounting her early life when at 14 her father was murdered by Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) and she is not content that the law won't go after him in the Indian Territory so she seeks to hire a bounty hunter. Of the three recommendations she chooses U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) an aging, out of shape drunkard. But Mattie sees that he has grit. Rooster Cogburn & Mattie Ross There is another man after Tom Chaney, Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Matt Damon) for killing a senator in Texas. He and Cogburn don't get along but decide to team up to get this elusive killer. Rooster Cogburn & La Boeuf Team Up They also don't want a 14-year-old girl tagging along so they try to leave without her, but headstrong Maggie insists and goes off on the hunt. Mattie Ross & Rooster Cogburn Hunt the Killer Eventually, they catch up to Tom Chaney and the gang that is harboring him and there is a very Western style true grit type confrontation. Tom Chaney BTW, if you are a big Josh Brolin fan you will be disappointed at the very little screen time he gets or the importance of his role in this movie. Coulda been any unknown male actor and it would have worked as well. As I have often said, I don't compare movies to books, plays or other renditions of the story - I just go in and hope to enjoy whatever I am presented, without too much analysis of how it did that. But as usual when a classic John Wayne movie is remade, there are naysayers who berate it before even seeing it. There is room in the world for two renditions of the same story 40 years apart. From the reading I have done, both these movies follow the same story - with a few minor differences. I liked this movie and the way the story played out. The three main characters gave good performances and interacted believably by my understanding of the culture and time. If you are to believe that a 14-year-old Maggie could have endured the shocking things she encountered and still persist, just look at the excellent portrayal given by the equally young Hailee Steinfeld. OH, and my mission now is to get a DVD of the '69 movie. Not for comparison but just to see it. Besides John Wayne that movie also had Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper and Strother Martin.
True Grit - 1969 Movie Blurb by Shale January 1, 2011 I just got the DVD and watched it today. It cost me a couple bucks more than the matinee price of the new movie. As I mentioned before, I was too "busy" in 1969 to see many movies, especially another Western. But, gotta say this movie with John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn, Kim Darby (who turned 22 when the movie was released in July) as 14-year-old Mattie Ross and Glen Campbell as La Boeuf was fun to watch some 40 years later. This G-Rated movie had much the same script as the new PG-13 movie except for the ending. I haven't read the 1968 Charles Portis book but from reviews I have read it appears that the new movie follows it more closely than the '69 movie. The gruesome and violent scenes were also included in the '69 film. In fact, the hanging was more accurately portrayed in the original with the dead person kicking in the air, tho the scene where fingers are cut off wasn't quite as graphic. This was an excellent movie - and now I have to ask as so many others have, why a remake? The 2010 version has current actors but it was still a period piece with late 19th Century dialogue and tho Jeff Bridges did an excellent job of conveying that dialogue, John Wayne was closer to that era. The classic movie will still retain its place as a well done and entertaining Western but the 2010 movie will likely become the definitive one that follows closely the original story. Both were good.
Thou shall not watch westerner with CGI effect.. Geeze. Next thing they will be shooting Ray Guns..:cowboy: western actor joke in there if you think about it....
yes i thought the cgi (snake) scene was a little far fetched. it could have been set up more realistically. although i thought that scene was cheesy it was one of the most suspenseful parts. i did thoroughly enjoy this movie regardless
I went to see it. I like westerns,Josie Wales and Open range being my favorites. This movie wasn't really "a Coen brothers movie" if you know what I mean. It was OK in my opinion, but definately not as good as Open Range. They did (the Coens)what they set out to do ,I suppose.
