True Grittier

It's time once again for my totally unqualified, totally random movie review.

This past Christmas weekend the husband and I had one last opportunity for a date night before his boarding a plane for places less American, so we decided on the classic dinner-and-a-movie combo.  I, being the completely off-the-charts awesome wife that I am, let him choose the movie.  Mostly because I knew he was going to choose the new "True Grit", and I wanted to see it, too.  I was a fan of the John Wayne version as a kid, as well as the follow up, "Rooster Cogburn", and I'd heard surprisingly good things about the remake.

In a nutshell, it was a VERY good flick.  The casting was superb.  The dialog witty.  The filming gritty and at the same time artful.  And, perhaps the best gauge for rating a movie - I'd like to see it again.  It's got to be downright difficult to take an already good movie and redo it, keep the story the same, yet improve it enough to reach the status of being an excellent stand-alone film.

Of course, upon my discussion of the film with hubby, I had to voice a few complaints.

#1) This first complaint has nothing to do with the actual movie, it just deserves a rant.  Either more idiots are attending the movies, or we have insanely poor seating choice.  The last three movies we've attended we've sat in close vicinity to Professional Talkers, who insist on practicing their craft throughout the movie.  True Grit was no exception, as the folks behind us not only insisted on talking, but narrating.  In addition, one lady found it necessary to repeat every funny piece of dialog throughout her narration.

#2)  I had to wonder if it really is possible to cut all of a person's fingers off with a knife in one big chop.  Hubby voted yes, on the condition that the knife was sharp enough and had enough mass. I still vote no.  Maybe one finger and deep deep deep cuts to the rest.  Maybe all fingers with a hatchet.  And, maybe if the knife is brandished point down in a more powerful grip.  But I am dubious this feat can actually be achieved with a large knife wielded in the position one would assume if they were cutting bread.

Mythbusters may prove me wrong on this point, but I remain a Doubting Thomas.

#3)  I was hoping this remake would somehow replace the big snake-bite scene with something better.  I'm partial to snakes, and it hurts my heart when movies take an irrational fear - such as the one most people have of snakes - and use it as a story prop.  By taking this avenue, numerous snake myths are prolonged and accepted as universal truths:

Snakes Are Scary And We Should Shoot Them All.


Of Course Snakes Like To Hide In Dead Bodies.  Because They're Evil.


You Should ALWAYS Cut On The Bite And Suck The Poison.  Everyone Knows That.


Once You Disturb A Snake Out Of A Hibernation-Induced Stupor, They Are Never Sluggish And Don't Want To Hide Or Avoid Conflict - They Will Instead Move With Lightening Speed And Will Stop At Nothing To Bite You Viciously And For No Good Reason.  Because They're Evil.

It's safe to say I could've done without that scene.  Regardless, I'll probably buy it, and It'll become a favorite in our collection.