Finally watched it and I have to disagree with many that it's the Coen Brothers' best work. While a fine, entertaining, and poignant film, it comes nowhere near the greatness of No Country For Old Men, or O Brother Where Art Thou? which are my faves.
I loved Hailee Steinfeld in the film and think she should have been nominated for a Best Actress Oscar rather than the Supporting Oscar. She was in practically every scene and held her own against the likes of Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin. I look forward to seeing her in something else.
I loved much of the cinematography, and thought the shootouts were particularly well shot. In good ol' Coen Brothers fashion, the film was funny and violent in equal measure. And maybe that's why I love them so damn much. I can think of no other filmmakers who can combine comedy and threat so well.
I have some minor problems with the film, including being annoyed by much of the garbled dialogue (mostly on Bridges part), and I found the general pacing of the film a bit off. But the look of the film, and the writing, more than made up for the foibles.
I love me my Coen Brothers. Even a satisfactory film by them is leagues ahead of nearly everything else being produced in Hollywood. True Grit was not satisfactory, it was very, very good. If anything, it's making me want to go back and watch Miller's Crossing and Blood Simple, to see just how much the boys have grown.
I thought the film was pretty good, very impressed right up until the cgi snakes--that sequence was amateurish and disappointing. What did you make of the ending itself?
ReplyDeletewasn't bothered by the snakes, but I was by some of the race to the doctor at the end. liked the ending and thanked god she didn't end up with Labeouf or some such nonesense.
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