True Grit (2010)

For the Coen brothers, a movie is a piece of art. Every scene and every line is selected with purpose to create a stunning masterpiece, and 'True Grit' is no exception. 

With an all-star cast including Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin, the movie already promises to be an instant success. Bridges plays Rooster Cogburn, the "shoot first, ask questions later" gunslinging U.S. Marshal who, as the film puts it, "likes to pull a cork." Damon plays LaBoeuf, the goofy and arrogant Texas Ranger, while Brolin plays the notorious Tom Chaney. 

Also joining the cast is newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, who plays the young Mattie Ross whose father was ruthlessly killed by the fugitive Chaney. Steinfeld delivers an endearing performance and truly exhibits the classic female gumption rarely seen in modern cinema. 

The film follows the story of the silver-tongued Ross, who hires Cogburn in her quest to find and hang her father's killer. LaBoeuf, who has been searching for Chaney in regards to another murder, joins forces with the pair. 

I am an avid fan of westerns, so I was thrilled when I initially heard the Coens were remaking the classic. A good quality western in the box office has been long overdue. 

The Coen brothers said they were trying to focus the film around the 1968 novel by Charles Portis rather than making an exact replica of the Wayne film. While both films exhibit the same general story and much of the same dialogue, the Coen brothers brought a fresher and darker take on the classic. The characters also display much more depth as they truly come alive on screen.

Replacing 'The Duke' with 'The Dude' was an interesting, yet successful, choice. In the original, Wayne's role was a bit more tame and clownish. Bridges, however, provided more dimension. Yes, he was still a drunken mess who lived in the back of a Chinese man's restaurant, but you could also see there was more to his character than that. Bridges had a seamless way of transitioning from witty one-liners to a stern take-no-prisoners bravado. It was a stark contrast from Lebowski, but believable just the same.

Critics and fans alike were skeptical when the brothers announced they were remaking the classic western that won John Wayne his first and only Best Actor Oscar, but the Coens have once again created a cinematic masterpiece. With 'True Grit,' the Coen brothers address the age-old question of how to define courage, and the audience gets to go along for the ride.

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Genre: Western, Drama, Action & Adventure
Synopsis: A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father's murderer. A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father's murderer.

Rated: PG-13 
Running Time: 1 hr. 50 min.
In Theaters: Dec 22, 2010
Box Office:$126.2M

Distributor:Paramount Pictures
Directed By: Ethan Coen , Joel Coen
Written By: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen