Just over a week ago, in my post on A Serious Man, I admitted I've had some trouble over the years when it comes to evaluating my own esteem for the Coen brothers. Some of the stuff they've done has blown me away; other stuff, though in no way "bad," has failed to leave much of an impression. I think True Grit falls into that latter category. From top to bottom it's a fine movie, and I couldn't find any fault with its writing, its authenticity to its period, its performances, or its pace. But I can't shake the feeling that this just wasn't a "great" movie. Its story was interesting, but neither very exciting nor layered in thematic nuances. Its characters were fleshed out and complex, but none seemed all that original or iconic. There were several moments of colorful humor, but not nearly as many as in most Coen brothers movies. This seems like a well-made adaptation of a solid book, and a fine Western to boot, but little else and nothing more. Of course, one should take this entire post with a grain of salt; this is the third movie I've watched today during this blizzard, and maybe I was just a bit too burnt out to fully enjoy it.
No comments:
Post a Comment