True Grit (Coen)

I remember watching the John Wayne version many years ago. Because I was very young, it did not affect me that much. I am a John Wayne fan nonetheless thanks to my father and grandfather. The trailer for the Coen brothers version of “True Grit” was very well done and I desired to see it. I wanted to watch the John Wayne version again in order to compare it with the Coen brothers film but despite my best efforts, I could not find it until after I saw the new film. Even the VHS copy that my grandparents had has disappeared. I therefore could not make an honest comparison between the two films at first. Now that I have seen the John Wayne version as an adult, I liked this new adaptation of the book a bit better. The look of the film and the acting are the best qualities. It was a straightforward western and because of my upbringing, I enjoyed the film. The Coen brothers work was well done also.

The opening music and narration lets us know that this isn’t going to be a romantic film like the 1969 version. The level of adventure and excitement however is the same if not more so. We never meet Frank Ross in this cinematic adaptation but it works very well in this movie. We don’t need to see Frank and his daughter together because of how good of a character Mattie is as performed by Hailee Steinfeld. From what I can see, John Wayne was the focus of the original film because not too much attention was given to the supporting cast. I am impressed with Wayne’s performance as Rooster Cogburn and I am glad that he won the Oscar for that role. I would have to say that both versions stand alone as great films. John Wayne is John Wayne after all. Jeff Bridges’ performance was amazing and as I see it, the two performances need not be compared. I must say that Bridges’ Cogburn seemed more realistic to me. In order to play a role previously played by the great John Wayne, you need another Oscar winning actor and Bridges was a great choice. Bridges took a great approach in that he, like the filmmakers, focused on adapting the book and not remaking the previous version. This is one way how Bridges and the film as a whole are able to step out from under John Wayne’s shadow. Bridges did get an Oscar nomination for Best Actor after all. John Wayne was entertaining in every element of his performance but his character didn’t seem like the nasty guy that everyone in the town described him as. Jeff Bridges however pulls off nasty just fine. The only glitch is that it is hard to understand him sometimes. A big difference from the John Wayne version is that the supporting cast of the Coen version was given the attention it needed. Matt Damon played a great Texas Ranger, much better than Glen Campbell did. I was afraid that he would not fit in a western but I was entirely wrong. The sound of La Boeuf’s spurs in his first scene was a nice touch to set up his character. It sounds pretty cool but besides that, the sound also comes in handy story-wise when La Boeuf shows up at the cabin before Ned. As alluded to, Hailee Steinfeld was fabulous. She looks much younger than Kim Darby was and that is a big help. The film's success depended on the casting of Mattie and Steinfeld was a great find. I liked her acting very much but I didn't quite see why everyone else was going nuts about her performance. I am happy she was nominated for an Oscar also but I knew that Natalie Portman would win in the end that year. The dealing scene with the stable owner was good as was the second scene with him. I love the line, "Are we trading again?" One thing that the movie does well to separate itself from the 1969 version is that there is less of a team spirit between Mattie, Cogburn and La Boeuf. It seems to be all business. I do however appreciate the scene at night between Mattie and La Boeuf as he is about to leave. It has nice resolution. The Coen version alludes to the fact that Ned & Tom may be long gong and that adds drama and surprise when they show up at the river. Surprising plot points are yet another element that the Coen brothers had in their version that the John Wayne version didn’t. The Coen brothers use surprise in their climax to great affect such as when Chaney hits La Boeuf over the head. I like I like how the pit is only mentioned but never seen until Mattie falls in it. That is more good storytelling. I did not recognize Barry Pepper while watching the film but even before I found out it was him, his performance was extremely noteworthy. His was my second favorite performance in the whole movie after Bridges'. I am a fan of Pepper due to his roles in “Saving Private Ryan”, “Enemy of the State”, “The Green Mile” and “Flags of Our Fathers” and I thought he should have received an Oscar nomination for his role as Ned Pepper (I like how he has the same last name as his character). His makeup disguised him very well. I love his spiting as he yells at Cogburn.

This is the first Coen brothers film I have seen. Like I said, if you are going to tackle something that John Wayne did, you need some big names and talented filmmakers. These Oscar winning brothers did a fine job and the film is even better for me knowing that Steven Spielberg was the executive producer. For example, I like the editing cut after Cogburn decides to wait for the person following them. The fact that the wind has picked up tells us that time has passed. In addition, the camera angles when Ned has his boot in Mattie’s face were a nice choice. Another great directed moment is when Mattie is fording the river. It effectively shows Cogburn and La Boeuf that the girl will not give up. I liked the ending better in the John Wayne version but that is not to say that the Coen version was bad. I was entertained by the way the climax was handled in this new version. The look of the film, particularly at the start, was masterfully done. I liked the yellow and brown colors. It makes the film a western but you have to be careful that the film does not become too romantic in appearance. That particular line was not crossed, which is a credit to the Coen brothers and their team. I like all the costumes in the film as well. Another thing I wish to point out is that the first shot of Mattie in the film matches the first shot of her character 25 years later towards the end of the movie.

This film appears to be a more faithful adaptation of the book than the John Wayne version. It is yet another reason why the two films stand alone as great movies. The work of the Coen brothers, the acting and the film’s design make the show great. This film was nominated for 10 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. I was expecting that "True Grit" wouldn't win any Oscars even though I feel that it deserved at least one. It sure is a shame, pilgrim.

4 Stars