Wednesday, March 2, 2011

A Movie Review: True Grit

True Grit. Sometimes you go to the movie and as people exit you find out that you have a striking difference of opinion versus most of the rest of the audience. As the movie ended, I was thinking, "This movie was just fascinating." And then you hear folks leaving with comments like, "That movie was so cheesy" and "We spent our money on that movie?" I don't know how they formed their opinions.

The basic premise of the movie is about a fourteen-year-old named Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) and her desire for justice. Her father is killed by Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). Since her father is from out of town, the town sheriff doesn't consider Tom Chaney a high priority. For some reason (not really explained), Mattie Ross is sent to clear up her father's affairs while the wife/mother remains at home. She decides that she'll make Tom Chaney a high priority and enlists Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to chase down Chaney. In the hunt for Tom Chaney, is a Texas Ranger named LeBoeuf (Matt Damon).

The dialog between the three main characters is what is fascinating here. And Mattie Ross sure does hold her own with her obviously over-exaggerated intelligence level that is backed up by a sharp tongue. And I do like how Mattie Ross is portrayed. Yes, she's smarter than she should be, but the movie shows that though she might have courage, she does have her fears. When confronted with situations that she didn't normally confront such as a gun fight or being grabbed by a gang of outlaws, you can see the fear in her eyes.

I say this is a well done movie and unlike my fellow movie goers, I feel it deserves an Oscar nod for Best Picture.

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