As most people know there are two versions of this movie.  The John Wayne version from 1969 and the newer version from 2010.  Both movies are excellent, but the acting in the newer version puts it a step above The Duke’s film (as much as I hate to admit it).

 

True Grit (2010) is a classic American western.  A hardworking farmer is killed by the vicious outlaw, Tom Chaney.  The farmer’s daughter Mattie Ross vows justice for her father and hires a US Marshall to hunt down and arrest Chaney.  She hires our flawed hero, the drunken, overweight, and heavy-handed Marshall Rooster Cogburn.   The brash Mattie insists on accompanying Cogburn on their mission, much to Cogburn’s dismay.

The acting in this film is nothing short of fantastic.  Jeff Bridges gives a phenomenal performance as Rooster Cogburn, taking John Wayne’s character and fine tuning his traits to perfection.  Deadly, dishonest, sometimes funny, and, in the end, a true hero.   Hailee Steinfeld is excellent as the young daughter seeking justice.  She portrays Mattie Ross as forward, forceful, and fearless.  A remarkable performance for a novice actress.  The cast is filled out by Matt Damon as Texas Ranger LeBoeuf and Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper as the bad guys.  All three are good. 

 

The film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, but in the end came up short, winning none.  Regardless, this is one of my favorite films of all time.  The western is uniquely American, and this film nails the genre.  Mattie Ross is brave and fiercely independent, Cogburn typifies the western lawman, not quite on the up and up, but does the right thing in the end.  The other characters in the film are trying to make their way in the rough and tumble American west.  Not aways completely moral but doing what needs to be done. 

True Grit runs about two hours.  It will have you laughing and crying at times and has plenty of action.  You can find it on the usual streaming services for a few dollars but we couldn’t find it free anywhere.  Take some time this weekend from all the holiday bustle and watch a modern American classic.