True Grit 2011 is a western classic. The Coen Brother's went back to the original 1968 book and drew out a fine screenplay about a 14 year old girl hiring a rough old US Marshall to capture her father's killer. They are joined by Texas Ranger, LeBouef, played by Matt Damon.

I cannot help but compare it to the original 1969 film with John Wayne, who won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as Marshall Rooster Cogburn. They are both fine films, but I think this new version has better actors in supporting roles, and Jeff Bridges gives John Wayne a run for his money.

I still don't believe that every single person enunciated so perfectly as they do in both movies. It is dialogue without the use of contractions, e.g. - "I do not believe my father to have been so foolish" instead of "my father wasn't a fool". People of that time often wrote in such a verbose manner (see letters from the Civil War era), but I don't think they actually talked that way. If you look at the quotes of Billy the Kid, there are plenty of contractions, and local slang. The author of True Grit, Charles Portis, supposedly researched the speech, but I doubt his conclusions. Anyway, it's a small matter and does not detract from my enjoyment.