I'm a foolish old man who's been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpie in trousers and a nincompoop.

True Grit

(2010)

Another great Coen Brothers film. It's probably been their financially most successful because it wears its heart on its sleeve in a way we're not accustomed to from them.

But it still feels no less like them , replete as it is with Roger Deakins' beautiful cinematography, Carter Burwell's very traditional score and their customary need for weird tics rearing its head at intervals (the character who only speaks in animal noises, the bear riding a horse, the revelling in characters verbalising in extremis - to sometimes incomprehensible effect).

The performances from Bridges and Halle Steinfeld show appreciable chemistry and there's fine support from Damon (who is treading a fine path in semi-bufoonish types lately with this and The Informant!). Josh Brolin's role is relatively minor but vocally memorable, and Barry Pepper is almost unrecognisable.

****1/2

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Now In Full Color, with a Happier Ending

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