Sunday, January 02, 2011

The Tenth Movie (for 2010)

is inevitably, True Grit directed by Joel & Ethan Coen. Yes it is a superlative performance by Jeff Bridges as Marshal Cogburn a daunting task given that it is the same role that landed John Wayne an Oscar...and Matt Damon is great and Josh Brolin (in Jeff Corey's weasel position) is just fine, but the standout performance is from Hailee Steinfeld as the vengeful 14 year old Mattie Ross.
I kid you not, how many times do you see an adolescent performer seize the dramatic high ground in a movie, and sell it?
Not very often indeed, being adorable, being funny or stealing scenes are the usual province of performers but driving the storyline, the way Ahab hunt for the whole drives Moby Dick is quite another thing entirely.
But then clearly Ms. Steinfeld has acting chops good ones lets hope she can steer clear of megalomania and temptation because she has a gift and it deserves cultivation.

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