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Normally, I am not much for remaking classic films that probably don’t need to be redone in the first place. This is an exception. This movie is very faithful to the original in terms of plot and dialogue. The young actress who plays the character of Mattie Ross couldn’t be any better in this role. Her casting was a perfect choice, as was Jeff Bridges in the role of Rooster Cogburn. A very wry but nuanced performance from him. I’m not so sure about the casting of Matt Damon as LaBeoff, the bounty hunter. He’s a very capable actor, but I’m not sure this was the perfect vehicle for him. All of the other actors in the supporting roles are great, specifically the actor who portrays the gentleman who engages with Mattie about buying back her horses. That scene is hilarious,watching as that man slowly discovers that his negotiation skills are no match for this 14 year old girl. Very well played scene. Actually, even if you’ve never seen the original True Grit, and had no reference points from which to draw, there’s still not much to find wrong about this movie. It moves along at a brisk pace, has the right balance of drama, humor and pathos, and leaves you feeling like “Hey, that was really good”. And, if you buy one from EBay, and can get a new copy for cheap, you can’t go wrong with this one.Read full review
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I buy very few movies, but after seeing this one at a theater I wanted to own it. Rarely do I watch a movie more than once, but I've included this one among "Star Wars," "ET and few others that I want to watch every year or so. This remake if the John Wayne original is extremely well done and acted. The Cohen brothers have added their usual quirky touches making it very entertaining. An example is the unlikely lack of use of contractions in the dialog of even seediest characters. Newcomer Haley Steinfeld is another Dakota Fanning in the making and I believe she will go far as an actress. Bridges and Damon put forth very impressive performances. After seeing this movie, my son rented the John Wayne version and found comically bad in comparison.
a "Cut to the Chase" review .. or .. Why Five Stars? . . . One Star - for the Coen Brothers'raw guts to direct and produce what so many misleadingly and mistakenly call a remake of the 1969 John Wayne classic film. . . . . . One Star - for the Coen Brothers' Oscar nominated screenplay which takes full advantage to being more true to the Charles Portis book, yielding more characters, more scenes and more delicious dialog than its 1969 counterpart. . . . . . One Star - for Ellen Chenoweth's casting. Her blending of stars, known and unknown faces, and at least one shining rookie produced a seamless cast of leading roles down to bit character parts, which in total, allows the Portis story to shine. . . . . . One Star - for Jeff Bridges' interpretation of Federal Marshal Rooster Cogburn. As a member of a decades-deep Hollywood family, Bridges undoubtedly acknowledged John Wayne's only Oscar winning performance, yet earned his own Oscar nomination by creating a Cogburn whose swagger is worn like a thread-bare cloak over a humanity to honest to conceal. . . . . . . The Fifth Star is EASILY earned collectively by the cinematography, sound department, original music and supporting performances that each prove that there are indeed... No Small Parts. . . . . . . The Blu-Ray edition makes even the Special Collector's DVD edition seem like a postage stamp of the Grand Canyon compared to standing on the South Rim.Read full review
Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, Matt Damon, Barry Pepper headline this movie about a U.S. Marshall who has "True Grit". When the father of a 14 yo girl Hailee Steinfeld) she hires "Rooster" Cogburn (Bridges) to hunt down the man who did it. To make sure the job gets done right, she decides to go along with him. They also team up with a Texas Ranger (Damon) and head out into the uncharted country. This movie originally started John Wayne and it was thought that a remake would be difficult to do, some classic stars just can't be copied. Fortunately, Bridges does not try to copy John Wayne, well not to much anyway. He creates his own character, and its a good one. I highly recommend this movie to everyone.
I am a fan of John Wayne and liked the original version of this story. Because of this, I was a bit leary when this remake came out. But after watching it I must admit that I like the new version better. The over-all acting is better-Wayne was terrific in the first "True Grit" but Darby was only so-so and Glenn Campbell (though a fine singer) was not much of an actor. However, all the main performers in the remake shine. Also, the sets, camera work, and story are also an improvement over the original. Both are fine movies but this one is a tad better.
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