True Grit
A group of us ventured forth last night to check out this new offering from the Coen brothers, and I have to say that it blew me away. With much of the Coen brothers' strengths and few of their weaknesses, it was a delight from beginning to end. I absolutely loved it.
The shots were, as you'd expect, wonderful. With all the skill you'd expect from them, they captured the beauty of the wilderness and the dirtiness of the settlements, the harshness of the elements, and, of course, the action. Their love affair with language was also delightfully evident, with each character's admittedly stylized dialog true to him or her and a joy to hear.
Though I'm a big fan of theirs, I have to say that some of the films from Joel and Ethan Coen feel a bit hollow, as if they'd sacrificed heart for technique. Not here, though; this film wears its heart on its sleeve and earns that right, so that by the end you care for the lead characters.
The actors playing those roles--Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Hailee Steinfeld--deliver wonderful performances. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see both Bridges and Steinfeld notch some award nominations in the coming few months.
By the end, it's clear that the Coen brothers are creating myths, moving from the story to something larger, and then in the wonderful few closing scenes showing the fates of those myths.
I may well have thought more of the movie than anyone else in our group, but all of us at least liked it, and I adored it. Do not miss this one.
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5 comments:
I agree with your assessment; it's a magnificent movie, wonderfully acted and directed. I think Oscars are in line for several of the actors and the screenplay.
Awesome flick.
How does it compare to the original one? I have read mixed reviews about that.
For my taste, Michelle, this version is vastly superior to the original.
Mine too. The original is a fine movie, the Coens have brought it to a far higher level.
It was good, I gave it a 7.
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