TRUE GRIT non-review
The Coen Brothers' True Grit adaptation was a fine film, but I don't see what was so different from the original John Wayne film that justified the remake.
I suppose the best reason is that the new actress is superior (and the appropriate age for the character), but honestly, the original actress stopped being terrible once she started interacting with John Wayne. He's a character and actor who are both so great dynamic that he/they immediately force the other actors to step up their game. That said, I'm also torn between which Rooster Cogburn I preferred. Bridges is brilliant, but Wayne's was--Henchgirl and I decided--rather more cuddly in his gruff badassedness, which worked for the character.
Throughout the film, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was watching a rerun. It doesn't help that I'd seen the original recently, but that also made me more acutely aware of how similar--and thus, unnecessary--this celebrated remake seemed. But that's hardly a criticism that'll apply to everyone. Many (most?) people haven't seen the original, a possibility which almost always saddens me, even with the best remakes. I myself would probably not have seen it if the remake hadn't been coming out, so I guess I'm not one to talk, but it bugs me nonetheless.
Any further discussion about the film will go into SPOILERS territory, so I'll save that for the comments if anybody has thoughts of their own to share. If you've seen the remake, have you seen the original? If not, would you consider it? If you've seen the original and the remake, how do you think they compare?
Again, be warned: I plan to go full-on SPOILERS GALORE in the comments.
I suppose the best reason is that the new actress is superior (and the appropriate age for the character), but honestly, the original actress stopped being terrible once she started interacting with John Wayne. He's a character and actor who are both so great dynamic that he/they immediately force the other actors to step up their game. That said, I'm also torn between which Rooster Cogburn I preferred. Bridges is brilliant, but Wayne's was--Henchgirl and I decided--rather more cuddly in his gruff badassedness, which worked for the character.
Throughout the film, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was watching a rerun. It doesn't help that I'd seen the original recently, but that also made me more acutely aware of how similar--and thus, unnecessary--this celebrated remake seemed. But that's hardly a criticism that'll apply to everyone. Many (most?) people haven't seen the original, a possibility which almost always saddens me, even with the best remakes. I myself would probably not have seen it if the remake hadn't been coming out, so I guess I'm not one to talk, but it bugs me nonetheless.
Any further discussion about the film will go into SPOILERS territory, so I'll save that for the comments if anybody has thoughts of their own to share. If you've seen the remake, have you seen the original? If not, would you consider it? If you've seen the original and the remake, how do you think they compare?
Again, be warned: I plan to go full-on SPOILERS GALORE in the comments.