True Grit is a force to be reckoned with

True Grit was truly a surprise at the Golden Globes. Not for any record breaking achievement but rather for its surprising lack of recognition. The film was hailed as one of the racehorses set for a slew of gongs during the awards season, but gasp! The Coen brother’s latest western was not even graced with a single nomination at the Globes.

A remake of the Oscar-winning 1969 film based on a novel by Charles Portis, True Grit is the story a 14-year old Mattie Ross seeking to bring justice upon the coward Tom Chaney who murdered her father. True Grit is the Lord of the Rings in a western genre, as Mattie’s quest brings her on an epic journey in the great wilderness of the Indian Territory in 19th century US. Her Aragorn and Boromir are renegade US Marshall Rooster Cogburn played by Jeff Bridges, and straight-laced Texan ranger LaBoeuf played by Matt Damon. It a tale of growing up and innocence lost (the way Frodo lost his to Sam…).

For all the gunshots seen and heard in the trailer, True Grit is more drama than action. It is a masterful contemplation on the nature of vengeance and female strength in a Wild West backdrop with a bunch of unruly gunslingers. It challenges the motive of those seeking to bring justice in their own hands, when the line between revenge and justice becomes blurred. A first time foray into the western genre, the Coen brothers’ gun standoffs are superb and stylish. There’s even a Tarantino-style scene!

The plot of the movie unfolds in its own sweet time as if reading a Frank Herbert novel. Scenes like the 10-minute introduction to Rooster Cogburn may well falter and become a drag, but not under the direction and script of the Coen brothers. The script is peppered with sardonic wit and dark, deadpan humour and, together with the heavy southern twang, they make the film such fun to watch. Though the film’s motley crew and their humorous antics in trying to get along are priceless, what makes the film a must-watch is Jeff Bridge’s character. The shoot-first-talk-later Cogburn, is the antithesis of the cavalier cowboy from classic western flicks. Though a lawman, his actions are sometimes questionable and as Jeff Bridges describes it, he has a foot on both sides of the law. Mattie Ross hired him to hunt down Tom Chaney due to his reputation as a man with ‘true grit’. Rooster Cogburn is such a likable character, not just for his don’t-give-a-damn charisma but because beneath the gritty exterior, there lies a knight who rides in and save the day when Mattie is in need.

You can’t watch True Grit without being warmed by the strength of will and determination of Mattie Ross in seeking justice for her dead father. Played by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, she may be a damsel but she certainly not distressed. Mattie Ross is the epitome of the strong female lead and in some ways, Republican values of self-reliance and independence from the establishment. As she goes through her adventure, we see her transform, lose her innocence, and ultimately learn the price of retribution.

Josh Brolin plays the villain, Tom Chaney. His character was built up from what the protagonist talked about him, until we are finally introduced to him in a climactic meeting. It’s particularly enjoyable to see Brolin’s wonderful character in action, and I wished that he got more screen time. Nevertheless, the Coen brothers have a knack for staying faithful to the book, just as they did with No Country for Old Men.

Set in the epic wilderness of the Indian Territory, this must be one of the most scenic westerns. The soundtrack by the Coen brother’s long time collaborator, Carter Burwell brings to life the spirit of adventure in the sweeping wilderness, in the manner of the late John Barry’s theme for the score of Dances with Wolves. Burwell’s theme for Mattie Ross evokes her taste for adventure and ever-present optimism amidst the harsh challenges she faces. All in all, it’s a well-composed modern cowboy score.

As if retribution for going unrecognized in the Golden Globes, True Grit wrath is felt in the BAFTAs and Oscars with 8 BAFTA nominations and a stonking 10 for the Academy Awards. Perhaps the 6000 plus filmmakers and actors at the Academy who are responsible for voting found True Grit to be more to their taste than the 60-odd film critics at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association who decides who gets what in the Golden Globes.

Whether you are up for some cowboy action or some drama, True Grit is well worth watching. All in all, True Grit shows us that a woman’s wrath is truly a force to be reckoned with.