Metacritic Movie Ratings
True Grit Reviews

A sample of reviews from critics across the country.

• 100

  out of 100

  The New York TimesManohla Dargis

  In some ways, much like Charles Laughton's "Night of the Hunter," which the Coens quote both musically and visually, True Grit is a parable about good and evil. Only here, the lines between the two are so blurred as to be indistinguishable, making this a true picture of how the West was won, or - depending on your view - lost.

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• 90

  out of 100

  Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan

  When Iris DeMent's impeccable version of the hymn is heard on the soundtrack as the final credits roll, it's the perfect touch to end a film whose aim is always true.

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• 88

  out of 100

  ReelViewsJames Berardinelli

  The Coens have fashioned one of the best Westerns in recent years - a modern reworking of a classic that never feels superfluous.

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• 88

  out of 100

  USA TodayClaudia Puig

  The original "True Grit" might have been eclipsed by John Wayne's larger-than-life persona, but the Coen brothers' remake is an ensemble piece that feels freshly their own.

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• 88

  out of 100

  Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert

  This is a film by the Coen Brothers, and this is the first straight genre exercise in their career. It's a loving one. Their craftsmanship is a wonder. Their casting is always inspired and exact. The cinematography by Roger Deakins reminds us of the glory that was, and can still be, the Western.

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• 83

  out of 100

  Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum

  Truer than the John Wayne showpiece and less gritty than the book, this True Grit is just tasty enough to leave movie lovers hungry for a missing spice.

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• 80

  out of 100

  Variety

  Rather than a case of the Dude doing the Duke, Bridges' irascible old cuss is a genuine original who feels larger than the familiar saga that contains him.

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• 80

  out of 100

  The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthy

  Well-made and acted Coen Brothers remake lacks the humor and resonance that might have made it memorable.

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• 80

  out of 100

  The New YorkerDavid Denby

  For the Coens, the plot elements are a given; the telling is all. [20 & 27 Dec. 2010, p. 144]

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• 75

  out of 100

  Chicago TribuneMichael Phillips

  The biggest change from the '69 "True Grit" is the best thing about this formidably well-crafted picture. Portis's narrator and heroine, 14-year-old Mattie Ross, runs the show this time, not the one-eyed marshal.

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