In
2010, the Coen Brothers (infamous for such bizarre epics as O Brother Where Art Thou) released True Grit, a remake of a John Wayne
movie. What happened next took everyone by surprise: It was a hit. In fact, it pretty
much dethroned the original, with its extraordinary blend of moral clarity,
black humor, and phenomenal acting.
I
have two primary comments.
One,
I never knew that Leaning on the Everlasting
Arms was such an excellent Western theme song. It should have been obvious.
Two,
it’s a crime that Hailee Steinfeld’s name was not on the front of the case. A crime. Only seldom (I think of Christian Bale and Q’orianka Kilcher) have I seen such impressive child acting.
On
that note, it’s really Steinfeld (then fourteen), as Mattie Ross, who carries
the movie, despite the presence of big names like Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and
Josh Brolin.
