--- title: "True Grit" year: 2010 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/true-grit" fi1m_id: "true-grit" imdb_id: "tt1403865" tmdb_id: 44264 wikidata_id: "Q326114" fi1m_score: 84 critics_score: 82 critics_reviews: 13 published: "2026-09-15" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:42.785296+00:00" region: "HU" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # True Grit (2010) Directed by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen · 1h 50m · NMHH 16 · Drama, Adventure, Western ## Identity True Grit - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/true-grit - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** true-grit - **IMDb ID:** tt1403865 - **TMDB ID:** 44264 - **Wikidata ID:** Q326114 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403865/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/44264, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q326114 **Fi1m score: 84** · Critics 82 from 13 reviews *In a sentence:* A girl asks for justice and gets two grown men who still need supervising > The Coens make a funny, stern western in which Give Steinfeld holds her ground against Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon. We recommend it warmly, though the men’s squabbling sometimes makes vengeance feel too comfortable. ## Synopsis Mattie Ross (Give Steinfeld) is young, determined and intent on vengeance. Her search for justice brings her together with Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) and LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), two men with strong opinions about how to proceed. In the Old West, the three make an uneasy travelling party, with Mattie insisting on having her say in a business the adults would prefer to manage themselves. Joel and Ethan Coen adapt Charles Portis’s novel, following a girl who is unwilling to let her adult companions make her decisions for her. ## Review *True Grit* is a western worth making time for, especially for the pleasure of hearing people choose their insults carefully. Joel and Ethan Coen adapt Charles Portis’s novel with affection for its formal language and a properly unsettled interest in Mattie Ross’s hunger for revenge. The girl has no intention of waiting for the adults to decide what justice requires. We are encouraged to enjoy her certainty, then to notice how little room it leaves for mercy. Give Steinfeld makes both responses possible. Steinfeld understands that Mattie’s formal way of speaking is also a way of refusing to be dismissed. She gives the elaborate sentences a practical purpose, as if getting the words exactly right might force everyone else to behave properly. We laughed at her severity, because she can make the grown men sound unprepared simply by answering them. There is no plea for affection in the performance. Her determination can be troubling, and Steinfeld lets it remain so even when the exchange is funny. Jeff Bridges gives Rooster Cogburn enough meanness to make his company a questionable choice. He is funny without seeming harmless, and the warmth he brings to his dealings with Mattie does not require him to become respectable. Matt Damon’s LaBoeuf gives the central trio another claim to competence, and Damon is particularly good at letting vanity interfere with it. The friction between the men makes the journey companionable. Sometimes it becomes too companionable: their squabbling is so enjoyable that Mattie’s desire for punishment can briefly feel like an excuse to keep them talking. Roger Deakins’s photography gives the story a bleakness that the bickering occasionally threatens to disperse. His images make the West inviting enough for an adventure, but never entirely reassuring, and the sudden violence belongs in the same picture. Jess Gonchor’s production design helps the old-fashioned speech feel at home: these people do not appear to have wandered into somebody else’s period display. We believe in their surroundings, which leaves us free to listen to them. The Coens also edit, and their patience with the dialogue is one of the film’s soundest decisions. They let a phrase register before asking us to respond to the next piece of business. At 110 minutes, it has space for peculiar company without making every encounter seem like an obstacle on a route. Carter Burwell’s music gives the pursuit a gravity the men are not always willing to acknowledge. It is welcome, though Steinfeld’s severity often does the emotional work without assistance. The film does not do much to disturb the familiar course of a revenge western, and we would not claim that it needs to. Its interest lies in how these people speak, judge one another and make uncertain companions. That leaves some stretches feeling tidier than the harshness of the story warrants, but the performances keep the ease from becoming complacency. We recommend it with that small reservation, and with particular affection for the decision to let Mattie remain difficult. Give Steinfeld and those sentences your full attention. *Fi1m score 84, published 15 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics warmly favour the Coen brothers’ True Grit, with praise clustering around the performances, the period dialogue and the care of the adaptation. Hailee Steinfeld draws particular attention for her assurance and handling of the stylised language, while Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon receive strong notices for their sharply drawn characters. The reviews also admire the photography and the balance of black humour, violence and warmth, finding much to value in the film’s respect for Charles Portis’s novel. The reservations concern how much that craftsmanship delivers beyond an entertaining western. Critics differ over how distinctive it feels: Sight and Sound welcomes its grotesque touches, while Little White Lies finds it too safe to fully express the brothers’ oddness. The Hollywood Reporter offers the clearest dissent, praising the acting and craft but finding little dramatic or emotional resonance. The spread is largely positive, with disagreement about depth and originality rather than execution. ## Straight answers **Is True Grit worth watching?** *True Grit* is worth watching, and we scored it 84. The Coens make a funny, stern western in which Steinfeld's Mattie Ross refuses to let Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon manage her business for her, and the pleasure lies in how carefully everyone chooses their insults. Our one reservation is that the men's squabbling can make the vengeance feel too comfortable. **How long is True Grit, and what is it rated?** *True Grit* runs 1h 50m and is rated 16 by the NMHH in Hungary. It is a drama and adventure film. **Where can I watch True Grit in Hungary?** *True Grit* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from Ft 790. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is True Grit, and is it suitable for children?** *True Grit* carries a UK 15 certificate, and its violence is sudden rather than constant, arriving without much warning inside an otherwise talkative western. It is not a film for young children, and the squeamish should know the bloodshed is blunt when it comes. Older teenagers who can take that will find a story built more on conversation than on gunfire. **How does True Grit compare to Yojimbo?** *True Grit* and [*Yojimbo*](https://film.one/film/yojimbo) share dry humour, sudden violence and a refusal to take anyone's respectability seriously, but they spend their time differently. Kurosawa's film is the more sharply staged, with clearer action and a single commanding performance from Toshirō Mifune, though its scheming grows repetitive. The Coens' film is the one to choose if you want to listen rather than watch; Kurosawa's if you want the thriller. **Is True Grit based on a true story or a book?** *True Grit* is based on Charles Portis's novel, not on a true story. Joel and Ethan Coen adapt it with evident affection for its formal, elaborate language, and much of the film's humour comes from characters speaking that way in earnest. You do not need to have read the book; the performances make the sentences do their own work. **What should I watch after True Grit?** After *True Grit*, try [*Paper Moon*](https://film.one/film/paper-moon) (1973, Fi1m 86): Another formidable girl makes an unreliable adult earn his place beside her. Then [*Yojimbo*](https://film.one/film/yojimbo) (1961, Fi1m 88): Dry humour and sudden violence, with nobody’s claims to respectability taken seriously; and [*The Proposition*](https://film.one/film/the-proposition) (2005, Fi1m 79): A harsher frontier reckoning, with family loyalty tested by the demand for punishment. ### Reviews we read (17) - **Time Out**, Dave Calhoun (5/5): The Coens serve as respectful master craftsmen in this superb adaptation that restores the grit to Charles Portis's novel, creating an attractive yet no-nonsense western with black humour and warmth. Calhoun singles out Hailee Steinfeld as a revelation in the lead role and the film's pleasing balance of stately and earthy qualities. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/true-grit) - **Empire**, Angie Errigo (95/100, inferred): The Coen brothers deliver a majestic, faithful adaptation of the Portis novel that is unmistakably their own, with exquisite performances especially from Jeff Bridges and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld. The language, visuals and emotional depth make it a near-perfect Western epic. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/true-grit-2-review/) - **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (A-): The Coens offer a rollicking yet grave tale of flawed characters seeking justice in a mythic Old West, with Bridges, Steinfeld and Damon excelling in roles that blend dark humor and startling violence. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/true-grit-1798166854) - **Total Film**, Philip Kemp (85/100, inferred): The Coens’ version is far superior to the 1969 Hathaway film, treating the source with respect while adding their distinctive touch through rich language and performances from Bridges, Steinfeld and Damon. It is a masterly re-creation that ends on a poignant note of time and loss. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/true-grit-review/) - **Little White Lies**, Adam Woodward (4/4/3): The Coens' salty western is funny, furious and blow-your-socks-off cinema, with newcomer Hailee Steinfeld stealing the show as the determined Mattie Ross. However, the result is too safe and accessible, obscuring the brothers' usual kinetic oddball brand of storytelling. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/true-grit) - **Sight and Sound**, Ben Walters (80/100, inferred): The Coens deliver a stronger, weirder take on the novel than the 1969 Hathaway film, with formally superb production and added grotesque touches that give it a macabre fairytale timbre. Walters highlights Bridges' meaner yet heroic Cogburn and the film's retention of the book's terse, witty style. [Read](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/5957/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the Coens' adaptation an impressive and austere work that is darker than the 1969 version, with strong performances especially from Matt Damon as LaBoeuf. The film is praised for its photography and the poignant, gentle final moments. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/feb/10/true-grit-review) - **Film Comment** (75/100, inferred): The Coens’ adaptation emphasizes Mattie’s tenacity and independence over gunplay in a mostly genial odd-couple comedy with the three leads. A transporting fever-dream sequence and the restored novel ending provide mythological and melancholy flourishes. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/true-grit/) - **Slant Magazine**, Nick Schager (70/100, inferred): The film is a straightforward, vigorous revenge oater that locates sadness, strength and loneliness in its characters through strong performances and period dialogue, though it is not particularly novel or profound. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/true-grit/) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (60/100, inferred): The Coen brothers' remake is well played and superbly crafted but one-dimensional, with little dramatic or emotional resonance. Strong performances from Steinfeld and Damon stand out amid a focus on harshness over humor. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/film-review-true-grit-56813/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan: The critic calls it one of the Coens' most broadly entertaining films, crediting the irrepressible narrative voice from the novel and the casting. They single out newcomer Hailee Steinfeld's handling of the stylized dialogue as a key strength. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-dec-22-la-et-true-grit-20101222-story.html) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis: The critic praises the Coen brothers' faithful adaptation of the Portis novel as a comic-serious tale of vengeance, highlighting its authentic American Gothic tone and strong performances. They single out the young heroine's bloodlust and braided hair as a standout element. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/movies/22true.html) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge: The critic notes that Jeff Bridges reinvents the iconic Rooster Cogburn role in this back-to-the-book remake, making the character feel original. They single out the physical reinvention and the paternal shift in his attitude toward Mattie as highlights. [Read](https://variety.com/2010/film/reviews/true-grit-1117944143/) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A): The critic praises the Coen Brothers for crafting a standout Western with electric dialogue, magnificent performances especially from Hailee Steinfeld and Jeff Bridges, stunning cinematography, and a balanced, accessible yet distinctive film. They single out the performances and the film's ability to juggle action with quirky elements. [Read](https://collider.com/true-grit-review/) - **NME**, James McMahon (4/5): True Grit is a measured, stylistically flawless love letter to the western genre rather than an attempt to evolve it, with excellent work from Bridges and standout odd set pieces. It is an excellent if fannish piece and the best western of the last twenty years. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-movie-11783-321047) - **The Wrap** (70/100, inferred): The critic calls it a fine film but not a game-changer: dark and moody with strong performances from Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld, yet undercut by broad comedy and tonal shifts that limit its impact. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/coen-brothers-western-true-gritty-and-goofy-22914/) - **Den of Geek**, Ryan Lambie (5 out of 5): The Coens deliver their best film since No Country for Old Men with a slick, evocative script and universally strong performances, especially Hailee Steinfeld’s assured turn. It is a triumph that feels authentic and uncompromised. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/true-grit-review/) ## Details - **Director:** Ethan Coen, Joel Coen - **Director:** Ethan Coen, Joel Coen - **Screenplay:** Joel Coen, Ethan Coen - **Novel:** Charles Portis - **Cinematography:** Roger Deakins - **Editor:** Joel Coen, Ethan Coen - **Music:** Carter Burwell - **Production design:** Jess Gonchor - **Costume design:** Mary Zophres - **Producer:** Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin - **Cast:** Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn; Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross; Matt Damon as LaBoeuf; Josh Brolin as Tom Chaney; Barry Pepper as Lucky Ned Pepper; Dakin Matthews as Col. Stonehill; Jarlath Conroy as Undertaker; Paul Rae as Emmett Quincy - **Runtime:** 1h 50m - **Certificate (NMHH):** 16 - **Release (Hungary):** 11 February 2011 - **Genres:** Drama, Adventure, Western - **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2010); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 2010) - **Budget:** $38 million - **Box office:** $252 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5fEgKj9QNs ## Where to watch in Hungary - Amazon Prime Video: rent Ft 790, hd - Apple TV: rent Ft 799, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy Ft 1,490, hd - Apple TV: buy Ft 1,790, sd *Checked 2026-09-15.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2011: Best Actor (nominated); Best Cinematography (nominated); Best Costume Design (nominated); Best Director (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Production Design (nominated); Best Sound (nominated); Best Sound Editing (nominated); Best Supporting Actress (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Paper Moon* (1973), Fi1m 86: Another formidable girl makes an unreliable adult earn his place beside her. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paper-moon.md) - *Yojimbo* (1961), Fi1m 88: Dry humour and sudden violence, with nobody’s claims to respectability taken seriously. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/yojimbo.md) - *The Proposition* (2005), Fi1m 79: A harsher frontier reckoning, with family loyalty tested by the demand for punishment. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-proposition.md) - *The Night of the Hunter* (1955), Fi1m 91: Children face adult wickedness in a tale whose strange beauty offers little protection. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-night-of-the-hunter.md) - *Meek's Cutoff* (2010), Fi1m 82: Frontier authority comes under quieter scrutiny, with uncertainty replacing the comforts of pursuit. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/meeks-cutoff.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/true-grit