True Grit or True Disgrace?

I went with Pam to see True Grit last night. The only movie I've wanted to go see at the theater for a couple of years. We both were disappointed!

I love Jeff Bridges, so I was expecting a great performance from him as the updated, Rooster Cogburn. All I can say is, "Jeff, I saw John Wayne in the original True Grit, and you're no John Wayne." Sorry my friend. It's not Jeff's fault, John Wayne gave his greatest performance in True Grit and he was great in most any movie he made. Also, he had the disadvantage of working with the weird and wacky Cohen brothers; the directors of this film.

In fact, performances in the place of Glen Campbell, Kim Darby, Strother Martin, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper just didn't cut it. Plus, the whole story lacked the character and emotion of the original. For instance, the subtle and endearing father-daughter relationship between Mattie and Rooster was missing the entire film, even at the end when he rescued her. We never had a chance to see the relationship developed.

The True Rooster Cogburn, John Wayne

I think the Cohen brothers were focused on quirky details more than story development and character development.

The following scenes were characteristic of the poor quality of this film: Rooster Cogburn's "marbles in the mouth" responses in court (Bridges seemed tortured the entire film, trying to talk and act like Rooster. I had to focus to keep my attention on that scene), The dead man hanging from the tree scene with the Indian and old doc trading the body (what???), Rooster's drunken shooting scene with Matt Damon (how dumb and poorly conceived), Ned Pepper's teeth and ashen face (his rotten teeth and face were so weird and unnatural that it made him look like a zombie and not a real person), and the "fright night" snakes in the pit scene with Mattie. What a distracted film.

I blame the Cohen brothers for this remake atrocity! Now that this classic original film has been sullied with this dud will someone please come to the rescue with a proper remake.

I Loved the scenery, though.