Leave it to the Coen brothers to redo one of the great All American Western classics. The original adaptation of the widely acclaimed Charles Portis novel was produced in 1969, only a year after the novel was written. It starred none other than the iconic John Wayne, who would go on to win a best actor Oscar for his role as the hard drinking, largely washed up, and aging Marshal Rooster Cogburn. Glen Campbell, then at the height of his country music career, both acts and sings in this film. He plays a straight-laced Texas Ranger who, while at odds with Wayne’s character throughout the film, does fall under Wayne’s sheer magnetism. Together they set out with a precocious teenage girl to capture her father’s killer.

In the recently released remake, which is now up for 10 Academy Awards, Jeff Bridges gives a performance that even John Wayne would have to tip his 10-gallon hat to. While the story stays fairly true to the original, Bridges imbues the new Rooster Coburn with even more humor and empathy, while retaining the same heroism. Matt Damon plays off Bridges as the self-righteous Texas Ranger this time around, and his performance is perhaps the only weak one in the film. His drawl and stiff manner is quite awkward and void of any sense of warmth or credibility. Hailey Seinfeld at just 14 years of age is tremendous as Mattie Ross. Her facial expressions, along with her ability to convincingly rattle off long and intricate script, are difficult to fathom being pulled off by one so young.

Definitely worth seeing on the big screen!!