Friday 1 July 2011

DVD Review


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DVD Review


DVD Review

The film...
14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) is out for revenge against Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), who was the untrustworthy farmhand who killed her father.
With some gusto she finds the meanest U.S. Marshall she can to help her cause, but Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) turns out to be a surly and uncouth man who will only work for booze and cash.
Finally paid up, things get complicated when Texas Ranger LeBoeuf (Matt Damon) joins the mission, but with the intention of bringing his man in alive.
'True Grit' was one of the most eagerly awaited releases of this year. It made huge sums of money in the US, propelling it to the status of the most successful Western of all-time.
The cast all step up, even if Josh Brolin is slightly underutilised, and the Coens put together a gripping story in one of the most predictable genres out there.
Steinfeld is superb, and works well with the older cast. We can understand the plaudits layered on to Bridges as well, but it would be remiss not to give credit to Damon who easily betters the equivalent role from the original film.
The downsize...
The word for this film is 'lush'. It looks sublime, and this despite a concerted effort by the filmmakers to keep things as (excuse the pun) gritty as possible. Roger Deakins' cinematography was always going to be a bit special, and so it was on the big screen.
What's surprising is how good it is on DVD. We're used to superior quality from the Blu-ray, and we're sure that's true here, but the DVD version is very good as well.
The extras...
Mattie Ross is such a great character, you'll welcome the chance to see a featurette dedicated to her, and accurately focussing on the true grit she displays throughout. It also really shows how perfect Hailee Steinfeld was for the role. Plus you get a chance to see something of the rest of the cast, and a couple of nifty features looking at the costumes and set-designs.
The verdict...
The Coen Brothers have captured the look and feel they were going after, and it only loses a mark for a slightly underwritten finale. Everything else is top-notch, and you'll probably feel inclined to watch it on a regular basis thanks to the chemistry of the leads.
Copyright © 2011.
The film...
14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) is out for revenge against Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), who was the untrustworthy farmhand who killed her father.
With some gusto she finds the meanest U.S. Marshall she can to help her cause, but Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) turns out to be a surly and uncouth man who will only work for booze and cash.
Finally paid up, things get complicated when Texas Ranger LeBoeuf (Matt Damon) joins the mission, but with the intention of bringing his man in alive.
'True Grit' was one of the most eagerly awaited releases of this year. It made huge sums of money in the US, propelling it to the status of the most successful Western of all-time.
The cast all step up, even if Josh Brolin is slightly underutilised, and the Coens put together a gripping story in one of the most predictable genres out there.
Steinfeld is superb, and works well with the older cast. We can understand the plaudits layered on to Bridges as well, but it would be remiss not to give credit to Damon who easily betters the equivalent role from the original film.
The downsize...
The word for this film is 'lush'. It looks sublime, and this despite a concerted effort by the filmmakers to keep things as (excuse the pun) gritty as possible. Roger Deakins' cinematography was always going to be a bit special, and so it was on the big screen.
What's surprising is how good it is on DVD. We're used to superior quality from the Blu-ray, and we're sure that's true here, but the DVD version is very good as well.
The extras...
Mattie Ross is such a great character, you'll welcome the chance to see a featurette dedicated to her, and accurately focussing on the true grit she displays throughout. It also really shows how perfect Hailee Steinfeld was for the role. Plus you get a chance to see something of the rest of the cast, and a couple of nifty features looking at the costumes and set-designs.
The verdict...
The Coen Brothers have captured the look and feel they were going after, and it only loses a mark for a slightly underwritten finale. Everything else is top-notch, and you'll probably feel inclined to watch it on a regular basis thanks to the chemistry of the leads.

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