elainehowie
I have seen quite a few western films and most of them are pretty mediocre. However, this film was great and made you forget the mainly awful western films that came before it. Even if western films are not your thing, you are most likely going to enjoy it. The plot is pretty simple: a 14 year old girl is out for revenge after a man murdered her father. The actress of the main protagonist is very good. Definitely recommend this film if you haven't seen it already.
Scott LeBrun
Jeff Bridges gets to put his own spin on the character of Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn, first portrayed by an Oscar-winning John Wayne in the 1969 film adaptation. Rooster is hired by a very plucky 14 year old girl, Mattie Ross (debuting Hailee Steinfeld), who wants to avenge her father. Dad was murdered by the cowardly Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), who made out for Indian territory and who may now be riding with an outlaw, Ned Pepper (Barry Pepper), and his gang. They are joined by a determined Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who wants to arrest Chaney for a crime committed in the Lone Star state.This new version of the Charles Portis novel was scripted and directed by the great filmmaking brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, who treat the material respectfully, even reverently. The dialogue is antiquated, yet quite literate, and it truly comes to life when spoken by this well-chosen cast. The story is straightforward and without filler, the pacing very efficient. Serious at times (and funny at other times), the film never veers too far into melodrama. It hits the ground running, with an older Mattie (Elizabeth Marvel) narrating and giving us the back story of Mr. Ross' killing. Two frequent Coen brothers collaborators work some real magic: cinematographer Roger Deakins, whose widescreen compositions are wonderful, and composer Carter Burwell, whose music is breathtaking.Bridges completely disappears inside the role of the surly, tough, hard drinking marshal, while Damon gives one of his better performances. Brolin and Pepper don't show up until around the 80 minute mark, but do extremely effective work. As soon as you meet Chaney, you know you loathe him; he's that much of a heel. The strong supporting cast includes Dakin Matthews, Paul Rae, Domhnall Gleeson, and Leon Russom; it's also great to see Jarlath Conroy from George Romeros' "Day of the Dead" as the undertaker. But young Steinfeld leaves the greatest impression, giving us a heroine who is capable, determined, and very mature for her age, a girl who can hold her own dealing with a character like Stonehill (Matthews)."True Grit" 2010 is sometimes violent (and strikingly so), but is basically just a good, solid example of impassioned storytelling that maintains viewer interest for the better part of two hours.Eight out of 10.
OneEightNine Media
True grit An interesting and well-acted film. The director frankly hurts the film in many ways such as by using bad camera angles and giving every character in the film more or less the same tone in dialogue. I remember the hype behind this film when it first came out. Far from being a classic considering it has not stood the test of time.
areatw
'True Grit' is probably one of the most appealing Westerns to those who aren't usually a fan of the genre. This is a character driven film with two very different but equally interesting lead characters - a stubborn, demanding young girl by the name of Mattie, and a tough and reckless U.S. Mashall, Rooster Cogburn.The pair complement each other perfectly in the film. Jeff Bridges is in his element in this role, but it's Hailee Steinfeld who steals the show with a truly terrific performance as Mattie. She drives this film from start to finish and brings so much character and personality to the role.The cinematography in this film is first-class, with great attention to detail. It's beautifully shot throughout and a joy to watch. Overall, 'True Grit' is an enjoyable film that will appeal to a much wider audience than just fans of the Western genre.
