Amidst the star power and directorial prestige of the Coen brothers’ adaptation of True Grit, it’s Hailee Steinfeld (Sinners) who shines brightest. Adapted from Charles Portis’s novel of the same name, the film follows 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) on a mission to hunt down Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the man who murdered her father. Steinfeld was selected from 15,000 applicants for the role, with the then 13-year-old going on to make a formidable theatrical debut. She steals every scene she inhabits, even when pitted against established talent like Brolin, Jeff Bridges (The Fisher King), and Matt Damon; indeed, during her brief absences from the screen, one finds oneself waiting for her next appearance.

Even in the company of the ruthless Deputy US Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Bridges) and the self-important Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Damon), Mattie is easily the most headstrong character. She’s stubborn beyond belief, her intransigence sparking the viewer’s intrigue just as easily as it agitates those around her. It’s especially enjoyable to watch the latter, like when Mattie effortlessly outmanoeuvres the bargaining tactics of Colonel Stonehill (Dakin Matthews). She’s so adept at disarming the adults around her that one almost expects the film to find a way to trump her obstinacy.

Thankfully, True Grit never does. It treats its protagonist with a respect that borders on reverence, even when Mattie’s demands are so particular that she fails to appreciate when her wishes are actually being met. In Mattie’s eyes, to compromise is to lose, and she’s fiercely competitive when it comes to getting her way. How a 13-year-old newcomer could announce her presence so commandingly as to capture the standout performance in a star-studded film is a marvel. Then again, anything less would have done the character an injustice—a dilemma the Coens were well aware of before filming. (Ethan Coen confirmed in an interview with The New York Times that the search for the right actress was a source of great anxiety: ‘We were aware if the kid doesn’t work, there’s no movie.’)

True Grit is one of the Coens’ few truly serious films, lovingly and earnestly adapting the sensibilities of a classic Western novel for the silver screen. This is not to say it lacks comedy, but its humour is rarely at the expense of its cast—or life itself—subjects these prolific filmmaking brothers usually delight in mocking. Whether in the Odyssey-inspired folk fable O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) or the helpless quest for meaning in A Serious Man (2009), the pair delight in laughing at the burden of human consciousness. Even Fargo (1996), which pits the beauty of simple lives against corrupted morals, pokes fun at the simple-mindedness of honest, rural folk. Occasionally, the duo take this mocking streak too far, creating farces that purposely self-sabotage consistent characterisation or storytelling—The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) being a prime example.

But here, as in their Western No Country for Old Men (2007), the Coens are decidedly more serious. The difference is that No Country was both a Western and an ‘anti-Western’, transposing the genre’s mentality onto a modern world of cars and payphones. It was a tale of ruthless lawlessness that offered no easy answers, even if many of the film’s characters were certain they had the world figured out. A dour pall draped over that weary world, where the rugged masculinity of Llewellyn (Brolin) seemed ill-equipped to contend with pure evil. Unlike many Westerns that praise industriousness, Llewellyn’s greatest failing was his attempt to rise above his station.

In comparison, True Grit feels like a light-hearted romp through open plains and vistas. This 2010 outing delivers exactly what one would expect from its premise, with Mattie, Cogburn, and LaBoeuf each given plenty of iconic lines. Damon imbues his character with a surprising degree of sassiness, while Bridges is in his element as an ageing drunk who can hardly form an argument without stumbling his words or feet. Mattie’s quest—perhaps because it’s the only one that feels truly righteous—marks her as the most sincere and interesting character in the ensemble.

However, sincerity is not always a virtue. While it served as an excellent springboard for this protagonist, the quality is less endearing within the story at large, which lacks the wackier, explicitly comedic elements found in O Brother or Raising Arizona (1987). Those films are madcap adventures with constant twists; by contrast, much of True Grit feels like it moves in a straight line that is prone to stopping and starting.

None of the side characters are the larger-than-life figures one might expect, and the brothers’ dialogue—perhaps the most underrated aspect of their filmography—doesn’t shine as brightly here as in their other films. This is a mild, competent narrative featuring impeccable technical elements. Though never dull, its straightforward approach diminishes the potential for humour and immersion. True Grit‘s central adventure may be a good yarn for the characters to reminisce about, but it lacks the starry-eyed wistfulness this protagonist and viewers deserves.

No Country for Old Men was simultaneously revisionist and reverent to the Western genre, boasting a strikingly modern setting and a profound malaise. In True Grit, the Coen brothers remain accomplished filmmakers, and the pitch-perfect comic performances are a treat, but in terms of storytelling prowess, something is missing. Perhaps that is why the film is a notorious Academy Award loser, having been nominated for ten awards without winning a single one (including, strangely, a ‘Best Supporting Actress’ nomination for Steinfeld, who’s clearly the lead). The talents behind True Grit are easy to recognise, but it remains a shame they could not be brought together in a more meaningful way.

USA | 2010 | 110 MINUTES | 2.39:1 | COLOUR | ENGLISH

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Cast & Crew

directors: Joel & Ethan Coen.
writers: Joel & Ethan Coen (based on the 1968 novel by Charles Portis).
starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Domhnall Gleeson, Bruce Green, Ed Corbin, Roy Lee Jones, Dakin Matthews & Elizabeth Marvel.