mijagi’s review published on Letterboxd:
The Coen brothers remake of this classic western takes more directly from the original novel than the 1969 John Wayne film. I think this was the right thing to do, giving this remake a fresh and different tone and feel. The plot is much the same; a young girl hires a US Marshall to track and apprehend her father's killer. They are joined by a Texas Ranger, played here by Matt Damon with impressive sideburns. I like Jeff Daniels as an actor but his portrayal of Rooster Cogburn is frustrating to say the least. Fair enough, he plays a drunk but his drawling and slurred speech got on my nerves at times because I couldn't understand what he was saying. Nevertheless, Daniels got an Oscar nomination for the role, so what do I know? The real star of the film, in my opinion, is Hailee Steinfeld who plays 14 year old Mattie Ross, the young girl trying to avenge her father's death. She gives a remarkably mature and composed performance in what is her first feature length film, earning a much deserved Academy Award nomination. The Coen's keep a good balance between action, suspense and the relationships between the trio of Daniels, Damon and Steinfeld. True Grit also has some beautiful cinematography throughout, so there is a lot to like and admire in this film.