It is a mistake to compare Coen Brother’s “True Grit*” to the iconic* 1969 film. The American experience has changed greatly in the past 40 years and so should the character studies in “True Grit.”

    Forget for a moment that John Wayne won his only Oscar for “True Grit.” The refreshed version easily stands on its own merits*.

    Set in the late 1870’s, “True Grit” follows 14-year-old Mattie Ross’ (Hailee Steinfeld) search for her father’s killer. Sent to take back her father’s body in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Ross finds that her father’s murderer Tom Cheney (Josh Brolin) has not been arrested.

    Ross decides to take matters into her own hands by accompanying* U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to chase* Cheney down in the Indian Territories* of Oklahoma. The unlikely pair of bounty* hunters is joined by Texas Ranger* LeBoeuf (Matt Damon) who has been on Cheney’s trail* for the past few months.

    Even though the original film was released over 40 years ago, using a strong-willed and intelligent teenage girl as a main character in a western can still be viewed as a fresh idea. Steinfeld’s portrayal of Mattie Ross is equally bright. The script and the actress have allowed the character to be seen as both tough as nails and youthfully innocent*.

    While Cogburn is a dirty foul mouthed drunkard* of a lawman, these characteristics pale in comparison to the unspoken compassion* he shows toward Mattie Ross.

    Rounding out the bounty hunters is Matt Damon as Texas Ranger LeBoeuf. Damon exhibits his full range in playing a man of unknown grit.

    The hidden gem of “True Grit” is not in the acting or plot, but in the language of the script.

    The verbiage* used in the script gives a feel for a time when education was largely left up to one’s own devices. The mixture of flowery formal language and back country idioms is delightful to hear.

    Humor, action, and character study in combination make a big win for the Coen Brothers and cast. They have been able to achieve a wonderful film that doesn’t stand on the shoulders of giants, but forges its own standard for the time-honored story.

    (SD-Agencies)