Very few remakes are able to stand up to the quality of their predecessors. Even fewer wind up better than the original. When you get filmmakers like Joel and Ethan Coen involved, however, miracles feel a lot more attainable. Given their track record together, it should’ve come as no surprise that they were able to instantly conquer the modern Western back in 2010, crafting a much better version of a John Wayne classic in the process.
True Grit, starring Jeff Bridges (in a role that should have given him back-to-back Oscars), Matt Damon, and Hailee Steinfeld (in her film debut), was an instant Western masterpiece upon its release nearly 16 years ago. From the phenomenal performances turned in by the all-star cast, to the stunning cinematography from Roger Deakins, to the kind of darkly hilarious and simultaneously gut-wrenching dialogue only the Coen Brothers could write, True Grit is an absolute all-timer. It stands easily as the best Western movie of the last 15 years, and could arguably be counted amongst the greatest in the history of the genre.
This ‘True Grit’ Is Better Than the Original
Based on the novel by Charles Portis, the original True Grit first hit theaters back in 1969 and was another hit for John Wayne. In fact, this is the film that won Wayne his only Academy Award for acting, though many have argued that it was one of those victories that was more about a full body of work rather than just one performance. While Wayne’s turn as Rooster Cogburn might be looked at as one of his better performances, True Grit is ultimately very forgettable in the grand scheme of his career, as well as in the landscape of the Western genre. The performances surrounding Wayne are tough to watch — Glen Campbell is especially disappointing — and the film doesn’t have the effective pacing of Stagecoach or The Searchers. It’s an average film at best, made memorable because of Wayne’s involvement and the story itself, which can be attributed to the source material.
More than 40 years later, the Coen Brothers found a way to breathe new life into the tale of Rooster Cogburn, finally giving the character the quality film he always deserved but never got. Bridges is remarkable as the drunken Marshal, and he is able to play off a pair of absolutely brilliant actors in Damon and Steinfeld. Their electrifying dynamic paints the tale in an entirely different light, focusing on the melancholy of the West, rather than the rough-and-tumble adventure depicted in the original.
Of course, a lot of that melancholic tone can be attributed to the Coen Brothers, the filmmakers behind Fargo and No Country for Old Men. They have a specific way of viewing the world that really lends itself to the Western genre, capturing the sadness and hopelessness that operate in juxtaposition to joy and humor. There’s a reason they’ve explored the genre in a few different ways over the years, though it’s honestly a little surprising they haven’t made even more Westerns. Hopefully, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs won’t be their last.
One Big Choice Sets the ‘True Grit’ Remake Apart
Of all the great choices made by the Coen Brothers when adapting True Grit, none were more impactful than the decision to not make the movie about Rooster Cogburn. He’s the big character in the story, and he is the person you’ll see the most of throughout any iteration of the film, but the tale has never been his to tell. True Grit belongs to Mattie Ross (Steinfeld), and the remake never once lost sight of that.
Now, putting this kind of heavy exploration of grief and the fragility of life into the hands of an unknown 13-year-old is certainly a choice, but the Coens knew exactly what they had in Hailee Steinfeld. She was more than up to the challenge, delivering one of the best young performances of the 21st century. She was nominated for an Oscar at just 14 for her turn as Mattie Ross, and she easily could’ve walked away as a winner. When it comes to Western movies made after the turn of the millennium, they don’t get much better than True Grit. Even if you weren’t a fan of the original, there’s a great chance you’ll find a lot more to love in this phenomenal adaptation.
True Grit
- Release Date
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December 22, 2010
- Runtime
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110 minutes
- Director
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Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
- Writers
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Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Charles Portis
