Comments on True Grit

True Grit Movie by Joel and Ethan Coen

True Grit is one film for the wallet. Although I have not watched the original John Wayne version, I'd say it's still worth cashing out on. That distinct old Texan accent that pervaded throughout the film proved essential to compliment its theme and setting. However, being unused to words of old usage and peculiar pronunciation made it an extra bit more challenging for me to swallow the dialogues whole. Mind you, it's my personal flaw, not the movie's.

Jeff Bridges, taking on the role of Rooster Cogburn, put sense of humor to play. Unlike many western films we're used to watching, True Grit is part-action and part-comedy. And not just depictions of what would have likely been a cowboy - obstinate, brash, cocky and anything of similar degree. Some dialogues from certain scenes were instant hits of laughter among the audiences at the theater. The storyline, I think, had been a bit altered from the original version; though to be considered a new one that run its course in pure adventure and excitement - something I won't be able to compare with the former until I watch both.

Rooster's somewhat antagonist Laboeuf (character played by Matt Damon) at the beginning of the movie, acted in much earnest than him, whose interests in drinking and a laid-back, reckless lifestyle, only seemed to make him appear relatively incompetent for his task. At some point, Hailee Steinfeld (Mattie Ross in the film) did express her disappointment of him and was desperately withdrawing her support to transfer to Laboeuf. Unsuccessful, she had no choice but continue the journey by Rooster's side.

The plot revolved around the early intentions of Mattie Ross to find her father's murderer. And the quest had led her acquaintance with both Rooster and Laboeuf, who were guardians of justice as well as bounty hunters. The role play of all three leading characters was ingenious. The entire film was totally immersive, that I hardly thought of anything else while it lasted. Almost all the scene-to-scene transitions were laid out smoothly, except for one that I noticed to have been a bit hastily done. A flaw of little importance anyway. Overall, True Grit is a strongly recommended in my scorecard.