Writers/Directors : Joel & Ethan Coen
Producers : Joel & Ethan Coen,Steven Spielberg ( executive producer )
Distributor : Paramount Pictures
D.O.P : Roger Deakins
Cast : Jeff Bridges,Hailee Steinfeld,Matt Damon,Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper
Language : English
Running time : 110 minutes
Rating : 18
I'm not really a fan of westerns but my old man is one,like most men his generation.In fact,he was responsible of introducing me to this famed genre of films,especially in his era ( circa 60's & 70's) when tough men like John Wayne,Clint Eastwood(still does),Charles Bronson and the the rest of 'em cowboys saw their heyday.They were held up so greatly by my father's generation of movie-goers back then and their legacy continues to grow over time.There is something about these men that kept an entire generation of men in complete awe and adoration watching them in action.I didn't understand what was the fuss all about seeing a man in a hat on a horse shooting another one half-drunk but i do know now,or at least i think i can reason it out.Cowboys,in my opinion,are the perfect personification of the exaggerated machismo,with an overdose of masculinity(Brokeback aside:p) and male chauvinism portrayed to the hilt by those stately male actors mentioned above,all to the delight of men worldwide.They identified with these characters,to be more blunt,it satiated their male ego,the 'lion' in them felt at home.More than comic book superheroes whom urban men with a more pronounced sensitive side mostly identifies with,the rural and suburban working class men,who by large,made up the majority mostly had a fantasy to live free and die hard,guns and whiskey on their fingertips riding across the country gallantly on a majestic stallion.I mean these guys were practically invisible and since emotional vulnerability amongst men was widely considered a glaring weakness,these men stood really tall in the eyes of their kinsmen once.
Most westerns had a standard plot,much like Bollywood and Kollywood films,not much difference from one another,they have what i call SPS (Standard Plot Structure).Its either a manhunt,a tale of vendetta,a rescue mission or treasure hunts.I can't really typecast because as i mentioned,i'm not a fan of westerns although one particular film is actually made it to all-time favorite list,Eastwood's timeless masterpiece,Unforgiven(1992).That film challenged the entire western clockwork,the invisible macho men act altogether because it portrayed the rarely depicted tale of redemption.The hero here is a melancholic lonely has-been rider,who spends his days in deep remorse over his violent past,brilliantly portrayed by Eastwood himself,together with Morgan Freeman and the scene-stealing Gene Hackman,the film also boasted gorgeous,lush visuals with an equally sweeping score.It was a 'rich' film in every sense of the word and was deservedly honored,both critically and commercially.One of those rare films which stood and will always stand the test of time,primarily,i'd say due to the theme of redemption.
Having said all that,i went for this film mainly because of the Coens,a fan of them i am,ever since Fargo(1996) and the irresistible combo of Bridges,Damon and Brolin,plus the mind-numbing 10 nods from the Academy(went home empty-handed though).And mind you,this is actually a remake,the original,which in turn was adapted from a novel by the same name starred,well,since it was made in 1969,the 'man' himself,John Wayne.I didn't have iota of awareness of the existence of the original one until this came out and i was pretty surprised because these guys are widely acknowledged as genius innovators.Why would they do a remake then?Their films have a distinct style and over the years,they've perfected their craft and most recently reached the pinnacle of their careers( showered with Oscars) with the brilliant and innovative modern western,No Country For Old Men,also starring Brolin.
With much curiosity and excitement,i sat through the film and walked out a satisfied man.Two reasons.One,the Coens maintained their mettle.Two,it gave me every reason why i must never ever give up filmaking.Never did i ever thought a western could be this entertaining !All the credits goes to the Coens of course,well,almost because it would have never quite worked the way it did without the delightful turn from Jeff Bridges,playing a retired,drunk and slothful U.S Marshall with gleeful idiosyncrasy and the truly praiseworthy(and well-rewarded) performance of the young lead,played by 14-year old newcomer Hailee Steinfeld,whose hyper-wit and guts reminded me of then-young Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver (1976) and Anna Paquin in The Piano (1993).Complimenting both performances wonderfully was a nuanced and fine turn from Matt Damon in the role of a Ranger.With a relatively simple plot line of a headstrong and iron-willed young girl seeking revenge over her father's murder,the Coens weaved an immensely likable screenplay with brilliantly written dialogues delivered flawlessly by the cast,really,never have i seen a western's lines written as entertainingly as this,keep this in mind and be your own judge when you watch it,chances are high that you'll be smiling !
Despite being a western centered on revenge,the film's mood was generally light,this is a specialty of the brothers,toasting an otherwise melancholic and heavy subject with their trademark dark humour,like what they did with Fargo and The Hudsucker Proxy(1994).And the treatment worked wonders,it injected a whole new twist to whole genre itself.The technical aspects were never neglected as it effectively served to elevate the overall output to be more wholesome with awesome cinematography,sound and costume in check.Having said all that,this film may not be the best from the Coens,but it surely is among their finest five.Why did i say watching this film further fueled my dreams?Because it exemplifies that with an innovative mind and finely tuned senses,one is capable of marrying film genres and amalgamating crucial elements resulting in a great piece of cinema which works like magic on screen.In the hands of an innovator,questions of authenticity will never arise,like this one.Remember Titanic?There were various films before Jim Cameron's version but mention it now,only one film springs to mind,his.Similarly,i have a feeling this 'remake' will eventually upstage its 'original' in the passage of time.A little reflection before i conclude,what does it take to possess an authentic grit?Fearlessness?Maybe.Soaring will?Perhaps.For me,its the ability to wither the hampering waves of a sorry past and march valiantly against all odds handsomely to the pinnacle of sweet smelling success.What's yours?Go find out what being tough is all about,without too much weight on the head !
Rating : A
Reviewed by
Amreish Siman
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