“Ground is too hard… if he wanted a proper burial, he should have gotten himself killed in the summer.”
How many times in the past few years have I seen a film, and by the time I got home wanted to see it again? Not many… but I’m going to catch an encore of True Grit shortly after Christmas. Oscar-worthy acting, mesmerizing and often-hilarious dialogue presented in front of the sort of superb cinematography one expects from a Coen Brothers film. Additionally, the soundtrack was create by one of my favorites, Carter Burwell (Miller’s Crossing, The Kids Are All Right).
While True Grit is very realistic (compared to John Wayne movies), and there are a few scenes of Coen – brutal violence, the overall story is pretty much the stuff of a “family” movie… this isn’t “Wayne’s True Grit meets No Country For Old Men,” it’s merely a great western that stands on it’s own, surprisingly traditional legs. I wouldn’t take anyone younger than 12 or so to see it, but on the other hand I wouldn’t have a problem taking my 91-year-old grandmother. And my grandmother – who still went hunting with her 30-30 rifle in her 60s – would probably say, “Can we go see this again sometime?.”
True Grit’s best scene is also its climax. I can’t describe it, other than to say that it has to be seen on the big screen. Literally breathtaking, the juxtaposition of suspense and sheer cinematic beauty stole the air from my lungs.
