True Grit

Joel and Ethan Coen have been on a hot streak. The filmmaker brothers are among the most original and adept directors, screenwriters, and producers working today. Their films range from dark and cruel to hilarious absurdity, frequently even from scene to scene. The Coens are at their most creative when they are deconstructing the various archetypes of different film genres. The Big Lebowski poked fun at film noir, No Country For Old Men radically reshaped the Western, Burn After Reading is a romp through spy movie stereotypes. In each of these films, the story and dialogue is shaped in such a way to simultaneously pay homage to the genre, while at the same time clearly distinguishing itself as a separate entity. All of this is part of what makes their latest effort so intriguing.

True Grit is a remake of a 1969 John Wayne movie by the same name. Both were adapted from an outstanding Charles Portis novel. While the 1969 version was slightly romanticized, the basic outline remains the same. A 14-year old girl named Mattie Ross embarks on a mission to bring her father's murderer to justice. To that end she hires Rueben "Rooster" Cogburn, a US Marshal. Along the way Cogburn and Ross hook up with a Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf who has been tracking the killer for some time due to earlier crimes.

Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld

The cast is impressive. Matt Damon takes on the role of LaBoeuf, bringing infinitely more talent and ability to the part than his 1969 counterpart Glen Campbell. Josh Brolin as the killer Chaney and Barry Pepper as the gang leader Chaney falls in with are appropriately ominous as the two leading villains. The supremely talented Jeff Bridges takes over the John Wayne role of Rooster and makes it his own. Bridges and Damon provide much of the levity in their relationship and banter and Bridges deftly maneuvers around any comparisons to Wayne's Oscar winning turn in the original, avoiding the Dude vs. Duke arguments. It is clear that Bridges knows what is expected of him, and his experience with the Coens shines through.

I have left someone out however. The true star of this movie is the 14-year old Mattie Ross. Making her film debut here, Hailee Steinfeld owns the character and is justly receiving the lion's share of the critical praise. Her toughness, intelligence, and yes, grit drive the plot. Steinfeld (who was 13 during shooting), despite being paired for most of the movie with two of the biggest stars, and most talented actors working today in Bridges and Damon, does not give an inch.

Steinfeld and Barry Pepper

As with all Coen Brothers movies, the technical aspects of the film are pitch perfect. Long time collaborator Roger Deakins handles the camera work and creates some starkly beautiful images. The dialogue clearly has the Coen brothers touch, but it is vastly lighter here. This film does not mix and match genre stereotypes, critiquing them as they go. Instead is a straightforward revenge tale, firmly set as a Western. Cogburn is a gruff old drunkard looking for redemption and seems to walk straight out of the pages of the Portis novel. LaBoeuf is the young and inexperienced, and yet brave man trying to play the hero, but unsure of what that entails. Only Ross transcends genre boundaries, and even she only does so to limits.

True Grit is a movie that defies a traditional explanation. It appears to simply be a very well made Western, but considering who made it, there is a unique feel to it all the same. A good Western is a very rare thing these days, and the Coens seem to want to rectify that. For at least one film, they have done so.

26/30

News and Links

Hey everyone, been a while since we did a news column here. Lots of good stuff happening recently so I thought I would clue you in on some of it.

To start out with, two extremely interesting trailers have been released in the past couple of months, both of which I'm dying to see. Here, we have a Coen brothers remake of the John Wayne western, True Grit, which looks appropriately gritty, and as long time followers of this blog know, I'm a sucker for Jeff Bridges. This movie looks awesome and I can't wait. The other trailer I'd like to bring to your attention is The Tourist. This film appears to be your traditional action escape fare, but when a cast of Johnny Depp (yes), Angelina Jolie (YES) and Paul Bettany (umm, thats cool I guess) gets together, there is potential for a great action film there. If you can't tell I really like Angelina Jolie.

Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit

Next up we have some casting news. John C. Reilly has joined an already impressive cast for the new film God of Carnage. Contrary to what you might expect from that name, its actually based on a play about two sets of parents who face off after their kids have an altercation at school. This is already turning heads because its going to be directed by the talented Roman Polanski. I very nearly made a crack about Polanski and kids here, but I showed restraint. I'm proud of myself.

Kate Beckinsale

Also in the casting arena, Deadline.com is reporting that Kate Beckinsale is in talks to sign on for the new crime thriller Contraband. It is a remake of a 2008 scandinavian movie (we seem to be doing that a lot recently), and Mark Wahlberg is already attached. There is also some info about Wahlberg's upcoming boxing film, The Fighter, for those of you who are interested.


Finally we have a fun series at the British online paper, The Guardian. They have created a top 25 list of the greatest action and/or war movies of all time. That is here, plus a pretty funny article by Guardian reporter Joe Queenan on action movie cliches. Click around a bit as there is some other good stuff around their site.

That's all we have time for today readers. To quote Mr. Carrey, that's the way the cookie crumbles.

The Iceman Cometh

This is a remarkably difficult film to watch. John Frankenheimer's 4 hour epic (239 minutes to be exact) pulls no punches. "The Iceman Cometh" was made in 1973, based off of a Eugene O'Neil play, this depressing and dialogue filled movie will be way too much for most people. I had to break it up into three installments just to push through. With that being said, I thought it was terrific.

The story opens on a shabby old bar in the early 1900s. We are slowly (very slowly) introduced to the various regulars who are slumped in the back room sleeping off the previous night's revelries. We gradually discover that these broken down old men are waiting for someone named Hickey. Hickey comes once a year, every year, and always brings free booze and plenty of jokes with him to liven up the bar a bit. This year however, when Hickey arrives he reveals that he is no longer drinking and has come to perform a service for his old buddies. Hickey is intent on destroying the pipe dreams and lies that each drunk tells himself so that he can accept his lot in life. Hickey has come to get them off the sauce and on the wagon.

The cast and crew are wonderful. The set feels very much like a play, a feeling which is aided by remaining faithful to the source material almost word for word. This film is notable for several unusual performances by all-time great actors. Lee Marvin as the titular "iceman" Hickey puts the tough action persona on hold and attempts one of the most difficult roles in theater. He pulls it off. Jeff Bridges, a youthful 23 when the movie was released, displays tremendous range as a young man attempting to enlist the aid of one of the drunks that he knew from another life. Bridges often claims that this part was the one that made him get serious about acting. Robert Ryan and Frederic March, two titans of cinema, are both playing their last roles here. March as Harry Hope, the hapless bar owner, is the barometer for how the drunks are feeling and calls up the few moments of levity, while simultaneously being an object of pity. Ryan, who knew he was dying during filming, plays Hickey's adversary. Ryan is the only one of the drunks to claim that he is being honest with himself. He pretends to no pipe dreams and claims he is only waiting for death. These four performances carry the film.

This grueling movie provides a harsh look at what people do to get by every day. Self-delusion is the brutal theme. Their are sixteen characters who come in and out of the bar, and each one of them is subjected to Hickey's quest for truth. This adds to the film's running time, but there isn't a poorly written or acted character in the film. Fair warning, this plot has essentially no action and very little development, its a full four hours long and feels it, and it is one of the most depressing movies I have ever seen. This film is not for the faint of heart. But if you can stand it, it is a magnificent cinematic experience.

25/30

Welcome and links

To my good friend and colleague Ben, I'm glad to have you as a co-author here on Routinely Average. Ben and I differ on some subjects and agree on some subjects, but we always come at it from different perspectives, so I really think he can bring a lot to this blog. Of course Ben actually works with cameras and knows infinitely more about the technical side of making movies than I do.

One pair of movie makers that Ben and I both enjoy tremendously are the enigmatic Coen brothers. The Coen's dry wit and detached cynicism is combined with some really terrific technical abilities to make some of the most interesting and unusual films of the last 30 years. The Coens never do a remake and never make an unoriginal movie. That is why their upcoming film seems to be completely out of character for them. Joel and Ethan are remaking the 1969 Henry Hathaway classic, "True Grit".

Now, the 1969 version is a wonderful old western starring the all-american cowboy John Wayne (in his only Oscar winning role) as an old worn out marshal named Rooster Cogburn, tracking down a killer with some eclectic companions. While I do enjoy a good western, and Wayne in certain doses, this movie seems out of place for the Coens. That being said, this might be the movie I am most excited for in 2010. I think the Coens will create one of the most unique westerns in years, and potentially revitalize the genre. To help them do this they have assembled an enormous cast including a Coen bros favorite in Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and now, according to the buzz, Berry Pepper. Who else is ready for the Dude to take a crack at one of the Western genre's most iconic roles?

And some links

1. The Barry Pepper, "True Grit" article.

2. Fresh off of winning an Oscar for "The Hurt Locker", Kathryn Bigelow appears to be assembling a monster cast for her next movie.

3. Chris Evans is officially going to be Captain America in the upcoming Marvel movie.

4. Studio Briefing compiles several reviews on "Clash of the Titans".