It’s been a long time since there was a real western in theatres.

After the critical and financial disaster that was Jonah Hex, there hasn’t been a truly high profile cowboy shoot-em-up from the Hollywood machine until now.

Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, True Grit is the second adaptation of Charles Portis’ similarly named 1968 novel, promising to be more faithful to the source novel than the previously adapted film in 1969 that starred John Wayne.

When 14-year-old Mattie Ross’s (Hailee Steinfeld) father is killed by one of his hired hands, Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), she vows to bring him to justice by any means necessary.

Mature beyond her years and stubborn as a cow, she hires tough-as-nails US Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to bring him to justice. Along the way, they join up with Texas Ranger La Beouf (Matt Damon), who had already been pursuing Chaney for the last few months.

Mostly due to the excellent performances by Bridges, Damon and the young Steinfeld, the latter whom has already won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Young Performer, True Grit is a magnificent western that manages to holds your attention from start to end.

Though more straightforward and faster-paced than the Coen Brothers’ previous movies – the quirky Burn After Reading and Oscar-bait No Country For Old Men, that hasn’t stopped the US$38 million dollar (S$48 million) film from collecting a slew of awards nominations (2 Screen Actors Guild Awards, 8 British Academy Film Awards, 10 Academy Awards).

As meticulously crafted and as perfect as any movie out there, True Grit is an obvious product of the Coen Brothers, infused with their characteristic unflinching violence and gritty story.

Though the plot is simple, it’s constantly full of surprises and isn’t afraid to dip its toes into darker territory, such as a hanging scene in the beginning that combines racism and violence, setting the tone for events to come.

It’s also surprisingly funny, with Cogburn insulting La Beouf at every turn. From the latter’s jingling boot spurs to his Texan Rangers origins, Cogburn always finds a way to get under his skin.

Additional praise has to go to composer Carter Burwell and cinematographer Roger Deakins. Referencing hymns as a base for his score, Burwell’s 15th film scored for the Coen brothers has a moody grandiosity to it, complementing the expert cinematography by Deakins.

True Grit is gorgeously shot and framed by Deakins, no doubt helped by his experience in films like The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and No Country For Old Men.

2011 is indeed proving to be a boon year for auteur film-making, with Black Swan another critical and audience darling.

Let’s hope this trend continues.

Movie: True Grit
Rating: ★★★★✩

Opens: 17 Feb
Duration: 110 minutes
Language: English
Age Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Genre: Action, Western, Drama

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld