The storyline of TRUE GRIT is surprisingly simple. Young Mattie Ross wishes to avenge the death of her father, a prosperous farmer who was robbed and killed by his hired hand Tom Chaney. She hires Deputy Marshall Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn to help her find and kill Chaney. Texas Ranger LaBoeuf is also looking for Chaney and the band of criminals who he has fallen in with, and the three join forces to track the killers down.

What elevates this film from a boilerplate track-'em-down-shoot-'em-up is its point of view. The story is told by 14-year old Mattie, a precocious girl who is a tough, courageous, shrewd and tenacious. Her childhood is obviously behind her. The screenplay, also by the Coens, gives her a spoken voice that is formal and precise. Her high standards are reflected in her masterful use of almost scholarly language and her expectation that others rise to her level as well. LaBoeuf also carries an elegance and chivalrous attitude, but there is a simmering anger wrapped beneath his rawhide coat for those who do not defer to his position. The Coens' master-stroke, however, was restraint with the characterization of Rooster Cogburn. He is boorish, mean, steeped in whiskey. He is filthy and uncouth. You can smell his clothes over the popcorn. As tempting as it must have been to pepper his speech with vulgarities, the Coens used historically correct phrases and epithets. The new Rooster makes up for his age and the ravages of hard living with shrewdness and a practical approach to his job. Happily, Cogburn does not become a caricature. He's a rough character, all right, but he's also canny.

It's important to keep a historical perspective when watching — and discussing — TRUE GRIT.  Cogburn is a Deputy U.S. Marshal. In the Oklahoma and Indian Territories in the late 1800's, these men were essentially government-backed bounty hunters, charged to bring accused men to Fort Smith, Arkansas, for trial by the famous "hanging judge" Isaac Parker. This job was lucrative, but dangerous. Although permitted to use lethal force when necessary, the deputy Marshals were only paid for criminals delivered alive.  Of the 200 or so Deputy U.S. Marshals who have been killed in the line of duty, more are buried within 50 miles of Fort Smith, Arkansas than anywhere else in the country. The adage, "There is no law west of St. Louis, and no God west of Fort Smith" reflects the violence of these times. For Cogburn to take on Mattie's quest — knowing her intent for blood vengeance — demonstrates his understanding of frontier justice beyond the letter of the law.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins, a longtime Coen collaborator, presents us a visual banquet. He is especially adept at capturing a feeling of vastness of landscape that implies opportunity. The rich, saturated colors of the outdoors are a beautiful counterpoint to the dusty streets of Fort Smith. Costume designer Mary Zophres adds to the mix with unapologetically historically correct garments. These characters are pioneers, and there in no romance in their appearance. The whole visual tone of the film is no-nonsense.

The quality of acting is superb. Young Hailee Steinfeld has a talent that shimmers on screen. She handles the unfamiliar cadences of old-fashioned language with a familiarity that astounds.  She presents Mattie as a capable woman who just happens to be 14. Her command of the subtleties of Mattie outshines Jeff Bridges' pinnacle performance as Rooster Cogburn. Bridges has become one of the great character actors of our time, and Cogburn is one of the great characters of cinema. The combination of the two is greater than its parts. Matt Damon is capable as LaBoeuf, but seems to lack that certain something we call edge. That being said, Damon is far from lukewarm. Especially in scenes that contain all three principals, Damon is a strong presence.

What is most impressive about TRUE GRIT is its ending. Authentic to the novel, we see Mattie as a middle-aged spinster. She is as unapologetic as ever, living her life in a straightforward, no-nonsense way. The viewer realizes that Mattie knows that she will never find a man who lives up to the great loves of her youth: her father, Rooster Cogburn, and LaBoeuf. The Coens are masters of telling stories with strong endings that somehow manage to remain a bit ambiguous. Is this a happy ending, or a tragic one? They allow the audience to decide.

TRUE GRIT has enough blood and violence to earn its PG-13 rating; keep that in mind with school-aged children. The Coen brothers have succeeded in bringing a true Western film to audiences, and it's a masterful film. It's absolutely worth seeing on the big screen.  Four-and-a-half out of five polished tin stars for this winner.