True Grit (2010)
★★½ — True Grit (2010)
The Coen Brothers' True Grit is an adaptation of Charles Portis's 1968 novel, a source that had already been filmed once before, in Henry Hathaway's 1969 version starring John Wayne (who won his only Oscar for the role). The Coens were careful to frame their version as a return to Portis's book rather than a remake of that film, and the distinction matters: Portis's prose is drier and more deadpan than the Hathaway picture suggested. Coming off No Country for Old Men (2007) and A Serious Man (2009), the brothers were at a commercial and critical peak, and this was their most openly mainstream Western, budgeted at a modest $38 million and earning well over $250 million worldwide. It gave Hailee Steinfeld, then fourteen, one of the more remarkable debut performances in recent Hollywood memory.
The 2010 True Grit remake, directed by the Coen Brothers and starring Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn, is a perfectly competent Western. Handsomely shot, well-acted, and faithful to the spirit of Charles Portis’s novel. There’s no denying the craftsmanship: Roger Deakins’ cinematography paints the frontier in crisp, wintry clarity, Carter Burwell’s score hums with mournful Americana, and the dialogue crackles with the Coens’ trademark precision. Jeff Bridges growls his way through the role with grizzled authenticity, though he never quite eclipses John Wayne’s iconic (if more theatrical) Oscar-winning take. Hailee Steinfeld, however, is a revelation as Mattie Ross (steely, articulate, and fiercely determined) carrying much of the film’s emotional weight with remarkable poise for a debut performance. And yet… it’s just fine. It lacks the grit, unpredictability, or moral complexity that define the Coens at their best. The pacing drags in stretches, the stakes feel muted, and the whole thing carries a certain polite reverence that keeps it from truly gripping you. It’s a well-made museum piece, admired more than felt. Solid, respectful, and occasionally moving, but ultimately safe. A good Western, sure. Just not a great one.
Rating: ★★½ | Year: 2010 | Watched: 2026-02-16
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Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Paramount Plus · Paramount+ Amazon Channel · Paramount Plus Premium · Paramount Plus Basic with Ads
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK
Affiliate disclosure: Movies With Macca may earn a small commission on purchases or subscriptions started via these links. It costs you nothing extra.
Related on Movies With Macca
More from Ethan Coen: Burn After Reading (2008) · Barton Fink (1991) · Fargo (1996) · The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
More with Jeff Bridges: The Last Picture Show (1971) · Surf's Up (2007) · Crazy Heart (2009) · Hell or High Water (2016)
More from the 2010s: Wonder (2017) · Beautiful Boy (2018) · The Witch (2015) · What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
More drama: Viy (1967) · Wonder (2017) · A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Beautiful Boy (2018)
More adventure: Alice in Wonderland (1951) · The Eagle (1925) · Louisiana Story (1948) · The General (1926)
