True Grit (2010)

A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father's murderer. [imdb]

Nominated for 10 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Director: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges
Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction
Best Costume Design
Best Sound Mixing
Best Sound Editing

I have just seen it, so I'm still in the first impressions phase and have it fresh in my mind. It was a good film, it was an ok film. I've enjoyed it, but I still think it could've been better. By the end of the film, I felt a bit disappointed, maybe the story wasn't challenging enough or maybe the ending required more emotion, more passion.

The beginning is the best part and it's captivating storytelling. Jeff Bridges gives a good performance, but far from his best. Hailee is ok, but maybe a bit overrated; of course, her placing in Supporting is a category fraud, but I've seen much worse cases (Casey in The Assassination of Jesse James, for example). I was so captivated by the male characters in the second part, that I found her presence less oustanding than in the first half. I don't see what the big buzz surrounding her is all about, and in a race between her and Melissa Leo for the win, to me it should be a no-brainer victory for Leo!

Matt Damon delivers his regular ok, but I was very captivated by Barry Pepper's very short but terrific performance. He has come a long way since Battlefield Earth. :) The technical recognitions seem fair enough, but the Coens getting the nomination and not Christopher Nolan is kind of upsetting to me. True Grit is a film I like, it has its good moments, but to me it won't be one of the year's favorites.

My rating for the film: 8/10. I would've given it maybe a bit less, but it was pleasant to see.