Following the death of her father, Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) has arrived to town to collect the body and subsequently take care of some unfinished business. While in town Mattie enquires about hiring a Deputy U.S. Marshall to track Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the man responsible for killing her father, to which she is directed to a man known as Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges). After much haggling the two agree on a reward and the adventure is about to begin. Meanwhile, Texas Ranger Laboeuf (Matt Damon) arrives in town in search of Chaney. As the three share a common enemy, they all embark on pursue of Chaney.
Over the years I’ve become a fan of the Coen Brothers simply because they have become great storytellers. Their pursue of perfection in each of their films have given them a distinctive trait and style that is most enjoyable when the final product is ready. True Grit is based on a book by Charles Portis and for the most part the film stays in line. True Grit is a dark story, but it certainly could have been darker given the characters. I can honestly tell you that I prefer Jeff Bridges interpretation of Rooster Cogburn than that of The Duke’s take. Bridges plays a drunken Cogburn and does a very good job at it. The Coens really nailed the character down and kept it closer to what the book tells us about Rooster. Matt Damon as LaBoeuf is excellent and I have absolutely no complaints with him. Hailee was simply a surprise. The young actress did an amazing job with Mattie and showed great composure throughout the film. She really was a something else in this movie. She truly brings out the witty and unafraid aspects of Mattie without a problem.
The film itself is great all around. The set design is excellent, recreating the 1800s was a task in itself and it was done with incredible results. The costume design and the weapons used at the time were recreated with accuracy. Roger Deakins as the cinematographer did an excellent job, the film itself it’s a sight to be seen with incredible shots all around in beautiful locales. Deakins really brought out the best of the shooting locations. The script was also great giving each character their own personality and enough complexity to see them clash when they are all in the screen. There’s a good chemistry among the lead actors and is very noticeable throughout the film. Bridge’s Cogburn is by far the most complex of characters of them all with a certain level of mystery, which adds more to the story. The film doesn’t just tell us the story of the chase of Tom Chaney, but it tells the story about the adventure of a 14 yr. as she bonds with two strangers in the pursue of her dad’s killer in an excellent manner.
True Grit’s success doesn’t only lie in the excellent performances of its actors, but by the splendor beauty of its shots and excellent aural reproduction that we find throughout. Again the film is successful on so many levels is hard to just concentrate on one.
True Grit arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p MPEG4-AVC encode framed at 2.35:1. Colors are vibrant and lively throughout. The image is clean and clear with no signs of anomalies affecting it. Black levels are deep and inky. Detailing is exceptional displaying the intricate textures of the outfits, streets, and rough terrains, close up shots, etc. the details never cease to impress. There’s a thin layer of grain to give it that film like feel to the image. Overall, Paramount’s efforts are to be applauded; True Grit looks magnificent on Blu-ray.
True Grit arrives on Blu-ray with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio lossless track. If the video was good you can begin to image what the sound is like, no? Well, I got good news for you the sound is top notch. The dialogue reproduction is excellent throughout and never becomes overwhelmed by anything in the film. The bass is good throughout and provides that support during gunfights. The sound field is very immersive especially during gun shootings, horses running through the terrain, etc. The surrounds also provide support with ambience and atmospheric effects. The best part of all is the score flowing nicely through the speakers taking advantage of the spacious track. All in all, True Grit sounds great on Blu-ray.
Mattie’s True Grit – Hailee Steinfeld talks about the role of Mattie Ross and her experience during casting and shooting the film.
From Bustles to Buckskin: Dressing For the 1880s – Mary Zophres, Costume Designer, talks about the challenges and work that it took to recreate the wardrobe for the film. Actors also chime in and talk about the look and style of their characters.
Colts, Winchesters & Remingtons: The Guns of A Post-Civil War Western – Keith Walters m Property Master, talks about the guns used in the film
Re-Creating Fort Smith – Filmmakers talk about the challenges of re-creating Fort Smith and give it the look of the period.
The Cast – The actors talk about the characters of the film.
Charles Portis: The Greatest Writer You’ve Never Heard of… – Professionals of the industry weigh in on Charles Portis and his work. The piece just covers the highlights of his life.
The Cinematography of True Grit – Actors and filmmakers talk about the work of Roger Deakins in True Grit. Many
Theatrical Trailer
BD-Live Functionality
Digital Copy of the film
The Coen Brothers can definitely tell a story. True Grit was just simply a good movie, but there’s more to just a good story and its actors deserve all the praise. The Coens along with their photography director managed to pick excellent locations and help to lay foundations for an incredible adventure. Personally, the latest incarnation of True Grit surpasses that of John Wayne’s 1969 version, but that’s just my opinion. The Blu-ray looks and sounds fantastic! Visually stunning from beginning to end. The title is also packed with enough supplements to give you a better idea of what happened behind the scenes, although is missing a commentary track, but for the most part these pieces are interesting. True Grit should be one of those titles already on your list of must get come Tuesday.
