Hailee Steinfeld Brings Grit to Debut Role

The first buzz I heard about True Grit was that it was NOTHING like the John Wayne movie from 1969.  Really?  Both are based on the book by Charles Portis.  So, what’s so different about the new Coen Brothers version?  Well, nothing…at least not in the way it was meant.  I think when I heard this “buzz” about the new film being different, the story and the script were supposed to be dramatically different than the 1969 version.  That, in my opinion, is not the case. 

What is different here, exceptionally different, is the strong performance of Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross.  True Grit is Steinfeld’s first theatrical movie, but you sure cannot tell.  She acts with the bravado of an experienced, worldly film actress.  She was honored with a Supporting Actress Oscar nomination, but really, she is the lead in this movie…above Jeff Bridges and most assuredly above Matt Damon, who’s truly a minor character.  Bridges plays U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn, the character that in 1969 won John Wayne his only Oscar. 

Cogburn, like in Portis’ novel and in the 1969 film, is a tough, hard-drinking curmudgeon.  At Cogburn’s best, he’s merely unpleasant.  Bridges’ Cogburn is a rehash of Wayne's performance – he brings nothing extra to the role…except maybe a little of iconic “the Dude” character that he played in his earlier Coen Brothers’ film, The Big Lebowski.  Damon is good as a Texas Ranger tag-a-long, but he’s not in the film enough for his performance to add any real substance to the film. 

On the other hand, Steinfeld shines and takes control of the film from the second she is shown on screen.  Her character has a tough road ahead of her…Mattie Ross needs to hire a strong, able Marshal to track down the man who murdered her father.  She picks Cogburn, not only because he’s tough, but because he’s feisty and mean.  Cogburn’s rough-around-the-edges persona shouldn’t be a negative factor in the search, except that Mattie insists on joining Cogburn on the hunt for the murderer.  This means that Mattie, or better yet Steinfeld, has to exert her little power and her tremendous fortitude toward Cogburn all the time…while keeping him on track in the search.  Considering what a strong actor Bridges’ is and what a mean old SOB Cogburn’s character is, Mattie does have her work cut out for her.  And, Steinfeld sure meets the challenge head-on with gusto!  See this version of True Grit for Steinfeld’s performance, if not for any other reason.  She’s DEFINITELY an actress to watch in the future!

True Grit: 2010, PG-13, 110 minutes, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, starring Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin.  The Niles Public Library has copies of this DVD on order.