Re: True Grit

> Steinfeld is indeed terrific, though it never occurred to me to think of
> Follows.  As I recall, Follows' Anne was full of insecurities, whereas
> Steinfeld's character is... not.

True, but I'm thinking more of her mannerisms (okay, and maybe the
braids helped as well). It's true that Anne was full of insecurities,
but she also had the chutzpah to speak her mind (even when she should
hold her tongue), and had a habit of speaking to adults *as* an adult,
rather than as a child.

> Quite a few Coen brothers (why is the "b" always capitalized?)

Heh, I actually stopped to consider whether it should be capitalized
or not. I settled on a capital, because I imagined "Coen Brothers" as
a screen credit, and determined that it definitely be capitalized.
After I sent the message, however, I realized that I don't think
they've ever technically shared a screen credit, have they?

> have actually been a bit miffed that True Grit is "too
> mainstream", or that they can't sense the Coens'
> directorial style here.

I don't feel the same way. It's true, they're playing it pretty
straight for a "Coen brothers' film," but I could definitely sense
their vibe throughout. Who else would have included the bizarre,
disconnected scene with the traveling "doctor" in the bear-skin coat?
And played it in those long, awkward singles? Or the absurd scene
where Damon's ranger puts Steinfeld over his knee?

I also found myself wondering how much of the film's humor comes from
the novel, and how much was written by the Coens. I know I said the
film isn't funny in a "Coen brothers" way, but the more I reflect on
it, the less I'm sure of that. A lot of the dialogue had that
abstract, oblique quality that marks a lot of their work. (Also, did
anyone else notice that nobody in the film uses contractions? Struck
me as odd for a western. Does that come from the novel, I wonder?)

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