Very rarely in Hollywood do we see two films released in the same month that both star the same actor. Even more rarely do these films turn out to be any good. Some might say that it was a Christmas miracle for Jeff Bridges to star in both TRON: Legacy and the Coen Brothers remake of classic western True Grit. Not only were these films probably some of the best I saw in 2010, but I would also suggest that Bridges will probably receive an Oscar nomination for one or both of these masterpieces.
First, let us talk about True Grit. A lot of people are fans of the 1969 classic starring John Wayne as rough and wild Marshall Rooster Cogburn. When Jeff Bridges took on the role that won John Wayne his only Oscar, not only did Bridges raise the standard set by Wayne, but I believed that Bridges truly became the character. He was Rooster Cogburn. If Bridges does not receive a nomination for Best Actor, I will be severely disappointed.
Other notable performances in True Grit include Hailee Steinfeld’s portrayal of Mattie Ross, the heroine of the story. She did an exceptional job in her first on-screen performance. True Grit is definitely her breakout role, and I expect to see her in other films.
I have never been a die-hard Matt Damon fan, but his excellent portrayal of Texas Ranger LaBoeuf almost converted me. This is the first role in which I have enjoyed seeing Damon. Josh Brolin’s (No Country for Old Men) fame was also in good form as antagonist Tom Chaney (the man who murdered Mattie Ross’s father). Barry Pepper also played a wonderful Lucky Ned Pepper (the leader of the gang Chaney is a member of).
The only complaint I had with True Grit was that the language the characters used was kind of distracting at points. I know that the Coen Brothers wanted to follow the book on which True Grit was based as closely as possible, but it was sometimes awkward when characters other than Hailee Steinfeld’s spoke in perfect Baroque-ian English.
Other than that, True Grit is the best Western that has been released in the past ten years. Jeff Bridges and John Wayne fans will both rejoice when they see this great movie!
TRUE GRIT Final Grade= A
TRON: Legacy is the second movie that starred Jeff Bridges that was released in December 2010 (although to be fair, TRON was probably filmed a long time ago due to all of the 3D editing that Disney had to do). Bridges reprised his role of Kevin Flynn from the original 1982 TRON. In this story, Bridges’ character is trapped in the cyberspace world of TRON and his son Sam (played by Garret Hedlund) must rescue him from TRON’s oppressive ruler, Clu (also played by Bridges).
Two other great performances in TRON were Olivia Wilde’s portrayal of Quorra, a sentient program that befriends Kevin and Sam. Michael Sheen’s portrayal of Zuse (an informant/nightclub owner) was very enjoyable to watch. His funny antics almost stole the spotlight away from Bridges and Hedlund.
I might also add that TRON: Legacy had some of the best editing and CGI special effects I have seen in quite some time. While the whole movie was not filmed in 3D—which seemed like a gyp in the beginning—the parts that were 3D were pretty spectacular. I have to say that Disney really pulled off a sequel of a B-List 80’s movie. TRON: Legacy took special effects to the next level while keeping that classic “TRON” feel. It was an enjoyable movie with a great soundtrack by Daft Punk.
If you see this film (which you should), there is no doubt that Jeff Bridges and Daft Punk’s glorious soundtrack really make TRON: Legacy a film to remember.
TRON: LEGACY Final Grade= A-
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Joshua Lapeer rating scale (letter grades instead of stars), please view the handy chart below.
The Joshua Lapeer Movie Critic Scale
A = Go to the theater and see this movie. RIGHT NOW.
B = Definitely worth a rent.
C = Watch it if it’s on TV.
D = Meh.
E = Absolutely horrendous.