The remake of True Grit has been in my thoughts daily since I saw it almost a week ago. Though the performances of Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross, Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn, and Matt Damon as LaBoeuf were top notch, they aren’t the source of the disturbance. Neither is the absence of Hailee Steinfeld’s name on the movie poster, though the omission is beyond explanation.
Contrary to logical thought, the violent story line that left a trail of dead bodies in the wake of the main characters hasn’t been bothering me either. After all, the remake is a Cohen brothers movie, and violence is to be expected. My preoccupation has nothing to do with how Ross, Cogburn, and LaBoeuf demonstrated their true grit in the face of danger, either.
No, what disturbed me was the plethora of bad guys and lack of good guys in the movie. Rooster Cogburn, the man who saves the day was a drunk, a former outlaw, and disloyal. In short, he was not a good guy. LaBoeuf, who helped Cogburn save the day, was an egotistical, selfish man who hightailed it when things didn’t go his way.
Mattie Ross, the fifteen-year-old determined to avenge her father’s senseless death, came closest to achieving good guy, or in this case, good gal status. She was, after all, an innocent victim with no hidden agenda, only a burning desire to mete out justice. At least, her desire appeared to be for justice, but by the end of the movie, it looked more like revenge. Though she accomplished her goal, Mattie’s own actions scarred her for life, both physically and mentally, by her. The horrible price revenge exacted upon this young, vibrant, innocent girl is disturbing and unforgettable.
Good movies are the ones a person can’t stop thinking about. In that case, the remake of True Grit is very, very good. I just wish I could stop thinking about it.
