True Grit

the coen brothers certainly like to befudle. after the almost biblical tale of a serious man, itself following hot on the heels of the zany burn after reading, comes a true western in the mould of no country for old men; only this time we really are back in the wild west. when the young and spirited mattie ross (a brilliant hailee steinfeld) enlists local us marshall rooster cogburn (jeff bridges) to hunt and bring to justice her father's killer, the pair set off on the task aided by texas ranger laboeuf (a beefed-up matt damon) into the dangerous indian territory. after a macho disagreement, the three split as mattie and rooster go their own way. has she chosen the right man for the job though? after the pair's last venture into remake territory fell rather short (2004's ladykillers) it's good to see that this time the brother's bandwagon jumping has reaped rich rewards. while the original was no masterpiece, it wasn't a bad film in its own right; indeed earning an oscar for aging star john wayne. here, fresh from awards glory as a washed up musician, arrives jeff bridges seeking awards glory as the washed up but highly effective marshall rooster cogburn. unwilling at first, eventually the lure of money - and no doubt the whiskey it will buy - overcomes his uncertainty as the dude heads out west to add to his impressive body count. much of that decision lays at the door of steinfeld's stubborn mattie ross. as engaging a newcomer presence as you're likely to see, her resolute and unflinching performance almost eclipses the great man himself. establishing her credentials early on in a tussle with local cotton merchant this is one girl who doesn't quit, and one actress who anchors the film with a sympathetic and yet absorbing display of justice; it's a travesty it's rewarded with only a supporting actress nomination by the academy. well done bafta. equally impressive is damon as the comically-charged, talkative ranger whose verbal bouts with rooster showcase the coen's sharp ear for dialogue and humour. as the old timer marshall, bridges drinks and shoots his way through the film with a typically southern drawl that takes a little bit of getting used to as what looks at first like a routine man-hunt becomes all the more deadly. with an awesome backdrop before them, the brother's delight in the expanse of the film's cinematography in a way not seen since fargo's white-washed palette. great sweeping plains, lit at night by the moon and snowfall lend a mystical quality to the film as lives hang in the balance. what should have been the final scene sees rooster, collapsing under the weight of age and tiredness, cursing the gods for having grown old. instead, as if desperate for a more obvious level of poignancy, an unnecessary epilogue spoils what would have been lasting impressions of these well-developed characters. in the career of lesser film-makers true grit might have been considered true greatness. for the coen's it's another admirable and accomplished notch on their cv that showcases the pair's ability to make thoroughly entertaining and yet artful cinema; and in steinfeld, possibly the discovery of the year.

for me this was not just the best film of the year so far but one of the best things the coen brother have ever done (and that is saying something!). it was thrilling, funny and moving. jeff bridges was, not surprisingly, brilliant but ,for me, the performance of the film was that of hailee steinfeld as maddie. she stole every scene she was in especially the negotiations with the horse trader. i also loved the usual coen brothers parade of grotesque characters particularly the "bear-clad dentist".