Rating: 5/5
Out of all the movies I watch, I really have a soft spot for westerns. High Noon, Tombstone, Shane, I love that stuff. Hell, I've played Red Dead Redemption while listening to Ennio Morricone, and I'd probably wear cowboy boots if I had them. I'm not sure what it is, I just love westerns. In recent years, the western genre has been hit and miss. There's stuff like Appaloosa which is awesome, and stuff like 3:10 to Yuma which is eh. True Grit is directed by the Coen brothers, and therefore, it's awesome.
Marshall Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) is a drunken, chain-smoking old lawman who's seen better years. Rooster is hired by a young Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) to hunt down Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the man who killed her father. On their way, Mattie and Rooster are joined by Texas Ranger La Boef (Matt Damon), and hijinks ensue.
The Coen Brothers are two of my favorite writer-directors, and they certainly don't disappoint here. The dialogue is fantastic, the direction flawless, and the dark humor very funny. Seriously, I've never seen the John Wayne movie, but it can't be as well directed or written as this.
What really makes the movie is the performances. Jeff Bridges, while sometimes hard to understand, is in top form as Rooster, and is just as badass as ever while still being hilarious. Matt Damon is lovable as the slightly foolish La Boef, and Josh Brolin is great as the lowlife scumball Tom Chaney. The most notable performance however, is Hailee Steinfeld. I can't believe this is her first movie. There are vets who can't act as well as she does here.
Overall, True Grit is a great addition to the western genre, as well as the Coen filmography. It is both worth your time and your money.
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