True Grit (2010)

⭐ 8.5/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

I have been reading this book and loving it because it is hilarious, and so I wanted Jess to watch the movie with me. I watched it years ago and often think of it as the perfect movie for me. Western, witty, cool action sequences. It's a Coen Brothers movie and I've come to love them more and more since watching this.

That said, I was a tad disappointed. It is EXACTLY like the book, basically word for word, but I feel like the jokes just don't land the same as when you read them. I mean, nobody has better line delivery than I do when I'm reading in my head! I actually kinda wish they changed things a bit to fit the screen a bit better.

Still, short of being a perfect movie, I still think it's a very good one. Hailey Steinfeld is incredible as the lead, a headstrong 14 year old. Jeff Bridges is perfect as Rooster, but PLEASE can you speak more clearly. Subtitles are an absolute must here. Matt Damon is terrific as LaBeouf, and I think the funniest part of the movie is simply that it's pronounced LaBeef which gets better every time you hear it. He's this high and mighty Texas Ranger which is contrasted perfectly with Bridges who is a cowboy with actual true grit.

So yeah, terrific movie which has this very moving, very evocative final sequence that caught me off guard. It's funny, exciting, touching. It really has everything. But the book is better.