True Grit | A

When a 14-year-old girl's father is robbed, shot and left for dead by a notorious outlaw, the most sensible thing for her to do is to mourn his loss and go about her way. But for Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), a young girl whose tongue is as quick as her wit, the only obvious option is redemption. The Coen brothers manage to raise the bar again with True Grit as they bring Charles Portis' 1968 novel to life with their own signature style and uncompromising, right-on-the-money tone.

When tracking a ruthless outlaw, one needs an even meaner Marshall on the case. So to get the job done Mattie hires Rooster Cogburn, an aged, alcoholic, foul-mouthed, gunslinger who is said to possess "true grit." Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart) delivers a very memorable performance as the grumbling Marshall Cogburn. He submerges himself in the character so well that all his mannerisms and personality traits are played on perfectly.

While Bridges steals the show in this film, the rest of the cast performs at the same high level. Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting) steps out of his usual acting range and delivers a very notable performance as the smooth-talking, cocky Texas Ranger, La Boeuf. Josh Brolin (The Goonies) has little screen time compared to the other characters, but the time his character is on screen is a delight. Brolin transforms himself into the bumbling outlaw Tom Chaney. Steinfeld's portrayal of the young heroin is the most noteworthy, as she shows her acting potential in her first ever screen performance.

Together Mattie Ross and Rooster Cogburn traverse the brilliant countryside in search of Chaney. La Boeuf joins the pair, in hopes of sharing in the reward and honor of apprehending Chaney. Throughout the film, Mattie Ross must brave the perils of the Wild West, facing dangerous animals, menacing gangs and most of all, putting up with the constant bickering of Cogburn and La Boeuf.

It is clear that the Coen Brothers stay truer to the novel than the famous 1969 version starring John Wayne. They inject the movie with unrelenting realism, mixed with some dark humor, to give the picture a gritty flavor that captures the true nature of the Western. What is immediately noticeable about True Grit is that it doesn't hold back any punches. The scenes are filmed in such a style that the audience constantly feels for the central characters and is on the edge of their seat when danger befalls them. True Grit does not follow the generic Hollywood Western style, where the dashingly handsome Marshall uses his superhuman trigger hands to bring about a peachy ending. But instead, the Coen Brothers combine a talented cast of players, with phenomenal camera work and a fine-tuned script to bring to the table a film with as much grit as its protagonist.