True Grit

Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld, Barry Pepper, Josh Brolin

Dir. Ethan & Joel Coen
Scr. Ethan & Joel Coen (based on the novel by Charles Portis)

I must start with a disclaimer: I have not yet met a Coen Brothers’ movie I have not liked. And more than a couple would appear in my all-time favourite movies list. So I am aware that reviewing a movie by Joel and Ethan is like trying to find flaws in a beloved puppy. Or somesuch analogy. It will be no surprise then that I loved True Grit. This is a wonderfully acted, character-driven, chuckle-inducing film which I would heartily recommend. Is it their greatest work? No, I don’t believe so. Does it deserve a spot among the ten films nominated for the ultimate Oscar prize? Most definitely.

True Grit, based on the novel of the same name published in the 1960s, follows 14-year-old Mattie Ross’s (Steinfeld) quest to find her father’s killer, Tom Chaney (Brolin), and bring him to justice. She enlists the help of US Marshall Reuben “Rooster” Cogburn (Bridges), a man she is told has “true grit”. Along for the ride is Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Damon) who has been tracking Chaney and has substantial financial gains to be made by bringing him to justice for killing a senator in Texas. This incredibly unlikely, and at times unlikeable, trio discover an array of characters and challenges along the way as each confronts and tests their own “grit”.

True Grit is one of the Coen Brothers’ most accessible films and will delight many more cinema-goers than the likes of Fargo or No Country for Old Men. Like No Country, True Grit creeps up on you and entices you in with colourful turns of phrase, beautiful scenery and actors who clearly relish their roles. The sense of impending doom and menace is not as pronounced and palpable as No Country, but it’s certainly there. We know that this isn’t going to end well for everyone and we hope that the bad guys get their comeuppance and the good guys survive. But this is no Disney western. The line between good and bad is murky. We first see Cogburn on the witness stand defending his actions as a lawman. Cogburn drinks too much, sleeps too long and is a true rogue. LaBoeuf is no angel either, far too pleased with himself and his abilities. But, in true Coen Brothers’ movie fashion, we know without a doubt that these are the men we should be rooting for. It is the character of Mattie though that really binds this story. Stubborn and pious, Mattie is nonetheless a realist. When the sheriff gives up on ensuring her fathers’ killer is caught and punished, she sees in these men the means to avenge her father. She is the true hero of this film.

I cannot heap enough praise on the stellar performances in this film and, for me, the combined brilliance of Bridges, Damon & Steinfeld is absolutely the best thing about True Grit. Bridges is at a time in his career where these sort of grizzly, weathered roles are perfect. He drawls his way through his performance with aplomb and seeing him in full flight on his horse up against four outlaws is an absolute sight to behold. It’s no secret I simply love Bridges and this film has only strengthened that adoration. Damon is a wonderful surprise in this film. His performances as Jason Bourne have cemented him as a real go-to action star. But Damon shows here, as he did in The Informant, that he has real range and a natural flair for humour. Much of the humour comes from the Ranger’s interaction with Cogburn and a standout scene has to be Mattie & LaBoeuf’s first encounter: “You give out very little sugar with your pronouncements. While I sat there watchin' I gave some thought to stealin' a kiss... though you are very young, and sick... and unattractive to boot. But now I have a mind to give you five or six good licks with my belt.” Wonderful stuff. There are also great contributions from Brolin and an almost unrecognisable Pepper. But among all these gritty, dirty, largely unpleasant male characters is Steinfeld, an absolute revelation as Mattie Ross. She is a true scene stealer which, in this company, is no mean feat. At turns naïve and cunning, childlike and world-wise, fearful and full of grit, Steinfeld’s performance is utterly worthy of the brilliant company she finds herself in in the supporting actress stakes at the Oscars.

True Grit may lack the quirkiness you might have come to expect from Joel and Ethan Coen. There is a story-telling and visual clumsiness at the beginning and near the end that grated a little. And while you may wish to take your 14-year-old to this film, you probably shouldn’t. But these are minor quibbles. True Grit is a great yarn, told with the most wonderfully colourful language you will come across at the cinema this year.

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Mattie Ross: You must pay for everything in this world, one way and another. There is nothing free except the grace of God.