Last year, there were 4 films that actually drew me into their world so much that I forgot I was sitting watching a movie. The Social Network grabbed me with Aaron Sorkin's dialogue. How to Train Your Dragon stunned me with its gorgeous flying sequences. Aronofsky's Black Swan made me feel like I was actually losing my grip on reality. The fourth film was a surprise to me. I have been a fan of the Coen Brothers for years, but I didn't think their remake of a novel, already adapted to a John Wayne classic, would live up to their almost spotless film career. (I'm just going to pretend The Ladykillers never happened.) True Grit's stunning cinematography and strong performances from Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon made this a great movie, but newcomer Hailee Steinfeld made True Grit one of the best films of 2010.
True Grit opens on the murder of Mattie Ross' father by Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), a drunkard and a selfish scoundrel. Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) comes to town to settle her father's affairs, have his body prepared for burial, and, unbeknownst to her family, hire the best man she can find to track down Tom Chaney and bring him to justice. She decides that the best man for the job is Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), a U.S. Marshal with a notoriously quick trigger finger. Mattie soon finds out that a Texas ranger who goes by LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) also wants to see Tom Chaney brought to justice, though for different reasons. They all set out with LaBoeuf racing against Mattie and Rooster, both sides hoping to find Chaney first.
The world of True Grit is grimy and colorless. Most of the characters look like they are constantly covered in a thin layer of dirt. This is not the glorified Wild West with clear-cut good guys and bad guys. Justice is carried out swiftly at the gallows, but that justice is enforced by severely flawed men like Rooster. There are moments of beauty like a horse silhouetted against a night's sky, but they are few and brief. This is a hard life that chews up the weak and vulnerable and spits them back out.
Enter Mattie Ross. She is a girl with a very low tolerance for bullshit. She might be a 14-year-old girl who just lost her father, but there is never a moment when she lets her guard down or allows her emotions to take over. Steinfeld plays Mattie as a single-minded young woman who refuses to let anyone or anything stand in her way. Early on, there is a scene where Mattie is haggling over her father's stolen horse, several ponies, and her father's saddle, and instead of taking what she is offered and accepting it gratefully, she talks her way into getting everything she wanted. She is not greedy nor a spoiled child wanting her way. Mattie is bright and intelligent, and she refuses to let anyone take advantage of her.
Perhaps some of Mattie's power lies in the sexist attitudes of the people around her. They look at her and see a 14-year-old girl. They expect that she will smile and nod and go along with whatever people tell her, and when she stands toe-to-toe with grown men and argues until she's blue in the face, they are so shocked that they agree to her demands. I cannot emphasize enough how incredible Steinfeld is playing Mattie. She has the presence that most actresses twice her age can only dream to possess, and she has created something that is rare in film which is a strong female lead who can also serve as a role model to young women.
I realize that I spent most of this review talking about Mattie and Steinfeld's performance when Bridges and Damon also gave great performances in True Grit, but as great as they were, Mattie is True Grit. Without her, nothing else in this film matters. Rooster's transformation from another drunk cowboy to a true hero wouldn't work without Mattie's influence on his character. LaBoeuf wouldn't have respected Mattie if she hadn't been so tough. If Mattie wasn't played right the whole story would fall apart. Mattie is the glue of the film, and thanks to her stunning performance, everything else in the film works even better. Seriously, who would have thought that one of the best films of 2010 would be a rehash?
Blu-ray Bonus Features
If you wanted to learn more about the making of True Grit, then I highly recommend picking up the Blu-ray/DVD pack. They have packed this full of extras including a look at how they created Fort Smith, the casting process for Mattie, and the guns used in the film. There's also a look at the cinematography and costume design as well as a featurette on Charles Portis, the author of the original novel True Grit.
"True Grit" is on sale June 7, 2011 and is rated R. Drama, Western. Directed by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen. Written by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Charles Portis. Starring Hailee Steinfeld, Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, Matt Damon.
