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Quite frankly to start off with, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this seeing as I didn't see the original version but when I did, I loved it so expectations went rather high for this remake. I have to admit that despite it is a remake and does feature pretty much the same scenes from the originals, it actually managed to work because there were slight adjustments to some events and script. Now, that is how a great remake works. To be honest, I would say that True Grit honoured the original 1969 version of True Grit like 1960 western The Magnificent Seven honoured its original film Seven Samurai in 1954.
The remake is perhaps more successful than the original by both critics and box office takings for the pretty obvious reason, really: because it's not as old and people won't be as fussy to watch it, pretty much everyone recognizes the actors within the remake as well as the directors. I mean, most remakes are like that more than the original versions (except critically the originals are mostly more successful). I will admit that this remake was darker (in terms of filming) than the original but the original version was stronger, more emotional and quite frankly, tenser.
Following the murder of her father by hired hand Tom Chaney, 14-year-old farm girl Mattie Ross sets out to capture the killer. To aid her, she hires the toughest U.S. marshal she can find, a man with "true grit," Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn. Mattie insists on accompanying Cogburn, whose drinking, sloth, and generally reprobate character do not augment her faith in him. Against his wishes, she joins him in his trek into the Indian Nations in search of Chaney. They are joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, who wants Chaney for his own purposes. The unlikely trio find danger and surprises on the journey, and each has his or her "grit" tested.
Jeff Bridges really is the only actor who would've been able to play Rooster Cogburn with succeeding after John Wayne. Jeff's performance wasn't only a re-creation of a character that another actor showed in the older generation but Jeff re-lived Rooster Cogburn in the modern era and it was an honour! I mean, an actor like Mickey Rourke or Sylvester Stallone could have been cast as Rooster but they might have killed him so good job Jeff Bridges was cast. He probably won't win the Oscar for Best Leading Actor this year (would be a back-to-back win if he did) but Jeff should get Oscar nomination for his performance. Matt Damon in a western? Wow! I was quite surprised when I heard he was in this but he does look a bit like the actor who played LaBoeuf in the original True Grit film. His performance perhaps wasn't worthy of an Oscar nomination but it still is another good performance from Matt. Josh Brolin who appeared in 2007 Coen Brothers Best Picture winner No Country For Old Men and his character's in True Grit is quite similar to what his character's appearance was previously in No Country For Old Men. I mean, no he wasn't in it that much but he did play a great villain and re-lived the Tom Chaney character like Jeff Corey created it in the original version. Hailee Steinfeld was fairly decent as well but her performance wasn't Oscar material. At times, her acting was a bit plain and wooden like she was trying a bit too hard especially in the scene where she confronts Chaney by the stream and how she tries to take control of the two men who are accompanying her on this quest. I mean, you're with the Dude and Jason Bourne, lady! Don't even try it. I did love Kim Darby's performance in the original a lot more!
The Coen Brothers don't usually make remakes and that is another reason why I was a bit unsure about this one although they did remake The Ladykillers in 2004 starring Tom Hanks. Their directing style in True Grit did remind me a lot of No Country For Old Men but there were some familiarities with Fargo as well. One thing I really do admire about the Coen Brothers is that every year since No Country For Old Men in 2007, they have thought up some random stories that are darkly humorous (Burn After Reading in 2008, then A Serious Man in 2009 and now True Grit in 2010) and they still manage to write fantastic screenplays together. I was impressed with how they edited the script and wrote their own and still merged the scenes together from the original and the events that occurred. As I said, there were some slight changes in terms of scenes and events within the film. That didn't effect my liking of the film, though.
Overall, True Grit is a very dark, rather sinister and more badass remake where the directors and actors within gave the director and actors in the original like a firm handshake and a hug so to speak in honour of a successful remake. As good as this really was, I do still prefer the original version even though I predicted that anyway because I just loved the original. True Grit is a rarely successful remake that is perhaps now known as the best remake since Martin Scorsese's The Departed.
