Film Review: True Grit

I recently watched the original 1969 version of True Grit, which is led by John Wayne’s Academy Award winning performance as Rooster Cogburn; it is a charming classic Western film. Many people questioned and criticized the Coen brothers’ decision to make a new one. Critics saw a remake as wholly unnecessary and worried that the 2010 movie could tarnish the legacy of the “Duke’s” classic. However, the Coen brothers did more than just honor the original film, they have created a spellbinding, visually impressive, and at times sentimental modern re-telling of the Charles Portis novel; in addition, their version is more representative of the book than the original 1969 film. The remake features Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, and Matt Damon who perform admirably in the film. True Grit may be one of the last movies to be released in 2010 but it is certainly not the least; in fact, it is one of the more entertaining and better-made films of the year.