Filed under: Reviews, Cinematical
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A tight, concise Western that pays more homage than it does re-invent the genre, 'True Grit’ isn’t quite the masterpiece some were expecting, but it’s so much fun to watch that many will leave the theater thirsting for more … of everything. Ethan and Joel Coen won a Best Picture Oscar for their 2007 adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s ‘No Country for Old Men,’ a contemporary Western that was bold, brutal, and beautiful. That film essentially handed Josh Brolin a career upgrade (and Javier Bardem an Oscar), but it was also something of a comeback for the Coen brothers as well. Before ‘No Country,’ they had turned out three films in a row that, while fine and entertaining in their own unique ways, weren’t exactly on the same cult-status level as films like ‘Fargo,’ ‘The Big Lebowski,’ ‘Miller’s Crossing,’ ‘Raising Arizona’ … and ‘The Hudsucker Proxy.’ (Sorry, I had to sneak it in there.)
After having tremendous success with one Western, the Coen boys decided to give it another go with ‘True Grit,’ which is both a remake of a 1969 John Wayne film and an adaptation of a Charles Portis novel. It’s easy to see why the brothers would opt for ‘True Grit’ – its quirky storyline and slightly hokey characters play right to the filmmakers’ strengths. It’s a film that also allows them to overdose on vibrant, scenic shots of rural America during the 1800s; to bask in hard-boiled and savory dialogue, and to introduce the world to a new, gotta-put-her-in-everything-right-now young actress. The 1969 ‘True Grit,’ like those three Coen bros. movies before ‘No Country,’ will always have a place in our nostalgic hearts, but the 2010 version kicks it up a notch, proving that great actors tend to age like fine wine, becoming ever more enjoyable with each new performance. One could easily say that about the Coen brothers as well.