Tread carefully fellow film fans as we enter the harsh, vast plains of the land of remakes. This terrifying terrain is often considered a nightmarish world with moviegoers - filled with questionable plotholes and unnecessary treatments. You can imagine my scepticism when my two favourite filmmakers announced they were remaking a classic John Wayne Western. Should we continue the trail with the Coens or gallop back frantically in the direction we came?
The answer would be neither. We should stay exactly in this spot where we dismounted our horses. Let me explain what I'm talking about. The Coen's remake of 'True Grit' is a film neither rooted in the past, nor riding towards the future. It's a simple story which is given a very simple treatment. But when you have a top cast of actors and two of the most exciting directors of my generation at the helm - is simple playing it too safe? I'm afraid my answer would have to be yes but it's not a resounding response.
Firstly, let us begin with the plot for those unfamiliar. We catch up with Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) who is tending to her father's funeral arrangements after he was gunned down by Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). Mattie wants revenge and hires 'a man with true grit' - Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges). It is established early on that Cogburn is not a man who is merciless to those who fall on the other side of the law. A Texas ranger by the name of LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) is also on the trail of Chaney and joins forces with Cogburn and Mattie. However, along the way the Marshall and the Ranger have a disagreement and part ways. From here the film follows their trail towards capturing Tom Chaney and finally getting Mattie the justice she desperately craves.
While 'True Grit' does have its flaws, it also has many impressive qualities that lift it up from the doomed fate that has befallen so many remakes before it. These would be young actress Hailee Steinfeld, a beautiful musical score by Carter Burwell and stylish cinematography by Coen stablemate Roger Deakins. The breathtaking landscapes used in the movie allow certain scenes to come alive - watching Jeff Bridges sleeping under the stars has a strange tranquility to it.
Let me tell you the problem I have with 'True Grit' and believe me, it's a difficult one to admit. The Coens wanted to stay more faithful to the 1968 novel by Charles Portis, rather than the 1969 film by Henry Hathaway. When I first read this I thought it was very good news indeed. Rather than simply adapting the original film with a new cast, they would be giving it their own spin. Well here lies the problem. The Coens are playing it too safe here. And for a film about dangerous men and the Wild West, that's never a good thing. I own every single Coen Brothers movie on DVD. I've been a fan for many years and I know their films like the back of my hand. I'm also a fan of Jeff Bridges, he was fantastic in 'Crazy Heart' and 'Tron Legacy'. Add to this my love for Western films from the early 90s onwards and I think it's safe to assume I'll be bluntly honest with you.
'True Grit' is not a film that should have been safe, by any stretch of the imagination. As I watched the two hours unfold, I kept wishing for a sparkle of that Coen's magic. Just a glimmer even would have sufficed. I just couldn't find it, no matter how hard I looked. Even Bridges, who I admire very much only gave a 'good' performance here. The accent was slightly muffled at times which I found offputting. Damon was decent but not really given enough screen time, as was the case with Brolin. Steinfeld stole the show and I can't believe she's only 14 and able to outshine the heavyweights.
For me 'True Grit' felt like it was setting off on a trail that was always predetermined. There were no surprises along the way. I will say that the second half of the film is much better than the first but even this can't really be construed as a positive. As I watched 'True Grit', I was reminded of another film - James Mangold's 2007 remake of '3:10 to Yuma'. I felt this set out to achieve something more than what the Coens attempted to do here. Having said that, it is up for many nominations and I'm sure some of you reading this will disagree with my verdict. My advice - go see it and decide for yourself. At one point in the movie, Damon mentions that he will have to abandon the search as the trail has gone cold. Perhaps the Coens should have done the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment