True Grit

A-

This is a remake of an old John Wayne western. Although I haven't seen the original I really enjoyed this remake. It had a great mix of western cool and humor. The music was great. The scenery was spectacular. And the acting was superb.

Mattie, A 14-year-old girl (Hailee Steinfeld), enlists the aid of boozy, trigger-happy lawman Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to track the fugitive who killed her father. The bickering duo must contend with a Texas Ranger (Matt Damon), also hot on the trail. Together the unlikely trio ventures into hostile territory to seek Old West justice. By the end it leaves you wondering who the title is most describing, Rooster or Mattie.

Hailee Steinfeld was great and really carried her part along side the acting greats of Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, who likewise nailed their parts. The dialog was very interesting, in that by today's standards it sounded very formal. But then I remembered watching the Ken Burns Civil War documentary in school. The letters written by the rank & file soldiers had the same level of formality. So maybe that was just normal talk in those days. Anyway the movie was very well made. Be warned it is kind of bloody, especially one scene. You'll know which one I'm talking about when you see it. And I haven't decided if I am satisfied with the ending or not. It is rated PG-13 for violence.