GRITTY

Howdy pahd-ners! Last week my sidekick Big Bore and I giddy-upped out west to the city to see the re-make of True Grit, and yee-haw! This here movie was a rootin’ tootin’ good time!

Okay, so much for the hokey cowboy vernacular. Let’s get to the review. True Grit is the story of a feisty 14-year-old Arkansas girl, Mattie Ross, seeking to avenge her father’s shooting death at the hands of the no-good Tom Chaney. She tags along into Indian territory with two lawmen who couldn’t be more polar opposite.

Texas Ranger La Boeuf, portrayed by Matt Damon, is a handsome no-nonsense type who is not about to have Mattie slow down the chase. On the other hand, grizzled marshal Rooster Cogburn, played by Jeff “The Dude” Bridges in the role made famous by John “The Duke” Wayne, is a boozy loser who secretly admires Mattie's stubborn determination to overcome the obstacles in her way.

Since Big Bore and I are fans of the original movie, we couldn’t help but make comparisons with this new version, which we liked even more. This True Grit of forty years later is grittier, as in graphic, but not overly so, and the settings are better. The pigtailed young actress who plays Mattie, Hailee Steinfield (why isn't she given credit on the movie poster?), is much more believable than the original’s Kim Darby because she actually is just a kid. Damon puts in his usual solid performance, and Bridges more than holds his own to Wayne’s award-winning role as Cogburn. He’s not as bigger-than-life blustery and doesn’t try to steal every scene as Wayne tended to do. This is Mattie's story, not Rooster's.

Out of the 4-Star Flaming Bore scoring system, I give this movie 3-1/2 flames. I suggest you mosey on over to your closest theatre to see it, but be sure to leave your six-shooter at home.