True Grit tells of Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) who wants to avenge her murdered father and employs the help of a U.S. Marshall.
Jeff Bridges is the second person to be nominated to play the one eyed Rooster, John Wayne won his Oscar for the same role. Wayne oddly portrayed the part with the mannerisms of Wallace Beery, and Bridges also portrays the part with different mannerisms from his usual performance, portraying them with an accent, and quite the slurred speech.
On re-watch the mannerisms improved slightly though remained a little bit of a mixed bag for me. This as I do think in general the conceptualization of the character is a good one. This as kind of a this very grungy sort, who probably smells a bit, and has a definite hard edge. Bridges evokes that with his performance, but it isn't quite the cut and dry package of success to me still. I like the general idea, but not the whole execution of it. This as Bridges's work has a slight inconsistency within it, that also stays within the overarching film that keeps me from loving it wholly, though I do have great affection still. This in moments where the style just misses ever so slightly, which again are highly specific moments, though stand out all the more due to this. This for example when really Bridges's delivery gets a little too mealy mouthed, and falling too closely towards caricature.
The highly specified western dialect I think is the error in this, as occasionally the lines just seem out of grasp for the actors to fully pull them off. This remained the one source of consternation with the film, where perhaps Coens needed one more take or just to change the lines to something slightly more manageable. Although one should mention Barry Pepper does nail every one of his lines with such success, I do have to blame the other actors perhaps a bit more. This doesn't happen a lot with Bridges but it occasionally does. This where it sort of breaks the function of the creation of Rooster as this very certain type, and becomes Bridge playing the part.
11 comments:
I'm just about to see this movie this week probably.
What did you think of this movie as a whole and in comparison with the original version? And how about Hailee Steinfeld?
Thanks. :)
I loved him and the movie.
I liked the film, and I felt the direction was superior to the 1969 version, although I did prefer Wayne over Bridges, as well and the western dialect was awkward in this version. Also I preferred Jeff Corey over Josh Brolin, and Duvall slightly over Barry Pepper who is the best in the new version though. Matt Damon is much better than Glenn Campbell though.
Although I liked Steinfeld her inexperience does shine through.
I really enjoyed bridges in this.
I really love this film and I've seen it countless times since it came out last year, I think Bridges was effective and I would probably give him 3.5 at least. Steinfeld was perfect in my opinion and at least a million times better than Leo.
This movie was so boring IMO. Bridges was quite weird in it. I didn't like him.
Worse then John Wayne.
Loved the film but half the time I could bearly understand what he was saying lol
^That is why I love the performance. It's just Jeff Bridges having fun and being kooky. But I can understand how it isn't for everyone.
If this slurred speech is just acting, then he is crazy. An actor that does the same exaggerated voice in all his films in these last years... No. No chance.
I think he must have had some sort of health problem. Mouth, Tongue, Teeth, or something psychosomatic.
But for sure this is not normal.
My ranking for the 2010 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
1. Jackie Weaver (5)
2. Hailee Steinfeld (4.5)
3. Amy Adams (4)
4. Helena Bonham Carter (3.5)
5. Melissa Leo (3)
ALTERNATE BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
- Barbara Hershey, "Black Swan", as Erica Sayers
- Gemma Jones, "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger", as Helena Shepridge
- Lesley Manville, "Another Year", as Mary
- Olivia Williams, "Ghost Writer", as Ruth Capel-Lang
MY NOMINEES:
Jones (4.5) - Manville (4.5) - Steinfeld (4.5) - Weaver (5) - Williams (5)
WINNER: Olivia Williams
Post a Comment