Thoughts on True Grit

The How:

Love 'em or hate 'em, the Coen Brothers know how to make a film.  Beautifully shot, there is an epic background and feel to everything that is going on.  It's a nice counterpoint to characters that are larger than life, especially Rooster.  Somehow a painting of this crazy old man ought to be on a huge canvas.

Matt Damon won't get the praise he deserves for this one.  His "Texas" accent was spot on (from someone who grew up in Texas and Oklahoma, he nailed a north Texas accent in terms of flavor and pacing).  Not taking anything away from Bridges, or Steinfield (she deserves an oscar in my opinion), but Damon was really great as a boring straight man in this movie.  He's a chameleon who can even sublimate his presence and genius to serve the role.  I think his potrayal and execution really set up Bridges and Steinfield to be even better.

Another consistent hallmark of Coen brother's stuff is the "odd moment" that they sprinkle in here and there for relief and comic effect.  It rings true, because those things happen in life and while they don't have anything to do with the actual narrative, they are marvelous and provide a resonance that we understand and appreciate.

In True Grit, the scenes with the trapper / doctor and when Rooster is demonstrating his shooting skill with cornbread, completely hammered, were both just hysterical.

Well acted, well shot, incredibly well written, this was a movie that was finely crafted and showcases what a film can be in terms of polyphonic art.

The What:

This was a movie about true grit.

That is less of a cop out than it might appear at first glance.  There is a sense of character, resilence in the face of opposition, perserverance and courage which is a combination of those things, but isn't quite captured by any single word seperately.  It's more than "heart", or "gravitas" or any characterization I can readily think of, sort of a moving courage in action that can rise to an occasion of greatness.

Here's the thing, every major character on the protagonist side has it.  The little girl is just indomitable in her spirit and her desire for justice.  When she, without hesitation, spurs her horse into the river to not be left behind, there was real danger there... but she simply wouldn't be denied.

LaBoef was the one I had the most fun thinking about.  He has great, even legendary western hero moments, where he draws on four men, despite the overwhelming odds of that situation... not giving up, even after being shot and wounded in the encounter.  And of course, in the end where he makes the rifle shot to save Rooster, it just seems right that he do so.  The fascinating thing to me and it's a subtle move, if you just listed the things that he did - he would sound like Achilles mixed with Wyatt Earp.  Actually, he's in the background for the most part and somehow smaller than life, in spite of his actions.

And Rooster, with reins in his teeth, like justice incarnate and lightning in his hands, riding down like a storm on the gang that kidnapped Mattie... and later in the wild ride / run to save her life, he displays a perserverance beyond simple human endurance.  True Grit, great heart... and they were captured and recounted to us over and over.

They're all flawed.  Mattie is proud and overbearing, not seeing at all that her perspective should ever be adjusted in the least.  LaBoef is honorable, but not very bright despite his education, Rooster is a drunk, is selfish and mean spirited and that list could probably go on for some time.

But when it counts, and push comes to shove, would you want any of these people on your team or not?

I would.  Everyday and twice on Sunday, if it came down to it.  There is something really beautiful about true grit in a situation with great need, even if these are not people you'd want to have dinner with on a regular basis.

Of the oscar contenders I've seen sofar, this is the one I'll buy the DVD of and watch again and again.