TMG Scale 6.5 by Joy Lynn. Art gives it a more solid 7.5
Starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin
Joy: This movie was too pretty – where was the “true grit”?
Jeff Bridges did a excellent job portraying the DUKE, but I prefer him as the DUDE! Somehow, even with the great acting and high tech cinematography, I was left unimpressed.
After the murder of her father, a young girl named Mattie (Hailee Steinfeld) heads out to find and bring her father’s killer Tom Cheney (Josh Brolin) to justice, so she hires the nastiest marshal in town, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), and they are joined by a Texas ranger named LaBoeuf (Matt Damon).
The best part of this the movie is in the last 30 minutes when the real drama takes place and Josh Brolin shows up as Cheney and Mattie finally get’s her chance at justice. By this time in the movie, you have forgotten the story line because you have been focused on Bridges’ lines, trying to figure out what he is saying as he spits out every line as though he has a fist full of marbles in his mouth. The constant dialogue between Cogburn and LaBouef was tiring rather than intriguing for me.
Matt Damon nails his role as a foolish cowboy and Hailey Steinfield is stunning as Mattie Rose. She is the heart of the film. However, I expected a better movie. This was an average movie with an identity crisis. It’s difficult to tell whether it’s suppose to be a great spaghetti western worthy of John Wayne or an Oscar film worthy of the Coen Brothers.
Art: What do girls know about Westerns? This was a fun and funny film with a great western backdrop. Sure, it lacked much of a plot but Bridges’ eyes and his marble filled mouth can still deliver lots of snarly humor and grit. I would watch it again and have no problem suggesting any Western film fan will enjoy it. It’s hard to make a good Western anymore. This film gets more than a passing grade but I would not expect any Oscar nominations.