True Grit

To no one's surprise, True Grit is a great movie.

The Coen Brothers deliver a story in their typical fashion: confused and entertaining.

The only things we know for sure is that Rooster Cogburn is an old, fat drunk who's still good at what he does. Maddie Ross is an insatiable little girl who knows her way around money. LeBoeuf is a Texas Ranger who starts uptight but, through Rooster's unconventional yet loveable ways, comes around in the end. Already that's a plethora of information compared to the Coen Brother's resume.

Nevertheless, True Grit is a rambling movie with long scenes of hilarious dialogue and a thin story line. But the characters presented--a Coen Brother specialty--are so well crafted and orchestrated within this "thin" narrative that we can't help but take a liking to them. Their dialogue entertaining enough and the acting good enough that we divulge ourselves almost completely into their stories.

If anything The Coen Brothers' films are a tribute to how story is only 1/100th of the total picture. The score, editing, costume, acting, set design, and photography are all incredible feats of cinema. The story, basic enough to follow Screenwriting 101, gives us know tricks or twists--it just does.

And True Grit does well.