Q: What’s the movie about?
A: A 14-year-old girl (Hailee Steinfeld) is determined to avenge the murder of her father, so she hires a ruthless Marshall (Jeff Bridges) and they accidentally team up with a cocky Texas Ranger (Matt Damon), on their hunt through the wild west, to find an inconsequential criminal (Josh Brolin).
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper, Dakin Matthews, Jarlath Conroy, Paul Rae, Domhnall Gleeson, Elizabeth Marvel
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A:
Proceed with Caution. Contrary to popular belief, this movie isn't for everyone. It's for people who love Westerns, and/or people who love the Coen Brothers. Note: I said "love," not "like."Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: I'm pretty sure Jeff Bridges said a lot of funny things, but he mumbles so much that without closed captioning, you won't understand any of them.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: The number one problem with this film is that you don't care about anybody. They're all cold hearted jerks, including the kid, so I dare you to find someone to cry for.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: The Cinematography is award-worthy. The remainder of the buzz is poppycock.
Q: How is the Acting?
A: Hailee Steinfeld is good for a 14-year-old, but completely average for a person of normal-age. Let's not start giving out awards to people just for being young-- that would only aggravate the problem. Jeff Bridges is incomprehensible. And right when you think you've understood just about as little as you can understand, Matt Damon gets his tongue mangled, so that he can't articulate anymore either. Regardless of all that, the actors seem to struggle severely throughout due to the absence of their beloved contractions... Turns out, it's not so easy for even the most professional of them to sound natural when saying things like, "I will do it," when inside they're clearly dying to say, "I'll do it."
Q: How is the Directing?
A: I've never had anything bad to say about the Coens as directors, and I doubt I ever will, but this, their most profitable film ever, has much less of their signature style in it, and aside from the final shot of a woman in black walking away from us, none of the shots in this film stand out as particularly memorable.
Q: How is the story/script?
A: Aside from making the lead character a smart-talking 14-year-old girl, the story line seems particularly unoriginal. And the fact that it's a remake makes the whole 14-year-old girl idea not so original either. The dialogue is clever, though, if you're able to understand it.
Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?
A: Sorry for my assessment on this one. Feel free to yell at me in the comments section about all the reasons this movie is brilliant.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: True Grit Trailer
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2 comments:
Yeah, I didn't see what all the commotion was about, either. It was an entertaining movie, and I did laugh several times (I guess, as an impassioned mumbler, I understand other mumblers), but ultimately forgettable. I wish I had seen something else with the one movie I get to see a quarter.
I liked it a lot, mainly bc I am not at all attached to John Wayne's Oscar-winning perf. I nearly cried when our little heroine launched herself & her horse into the river, so yeah, I cared.
I loved the reference to Night of the Hunter, as well as multiple refs to The Searchers and Clint's Unforgiven -- lending added resonance to this addition to a classic American genre.
SPOILER ALERT --
BTW – I thought the final shot was her on a hill under a bare tree by Rooster’s grave (hence the visual ref to Unforgiven).
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