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True Grit

True Grit

Punishment comes one way or another.

2010110 minPG-13Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Directors
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Starring
Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin

Following the murder of her father by a hired hand, a 14-year-old farm girl sets out to capture the killer. To aid her, she hires the toughest U.S. Marshal she can find—a man with 'true grit'—Reuben J. 'Rooster' Cogburn.

Where to watch

Where can I watch True Grit?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists True Grit streaming on Paramount+ via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about True Grit?

True Grit earns 13 badges, led by Modern classic and Top 5% of films.

Show 5 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is True Grit worth watching?

True Grit's Midcredits score is the 96th percentile of all films, from 783K ratings across 6 sources. 86% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

96th percentile

Better received than 96% of films

97th percentile among Drama97th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)93rd
Approval (how many liked it)96th

76 /100

93rd percentile of all films

94th percentile among Drama93rd percentile among 2010s

Critics 80 · Audience 76

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

86% liked it

96th percentile of all films

96th percentile among Drama96th percentile among 2010s
86% rated it 7–1014% rated it 1–6

Critics 95% · Audience 85%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 9 Oscar noms · 19 wins / 80 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Cinematography
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Costume Design

98th percentile

782K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Drama98th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 25% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$38M
Opening weekend$25M
Domestic gross$171M
Worldwide gross$252M

Returned 6.6× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A well-made, faithful adaptation of Charles Portis' novel with strong performances and beautiful cinematography.

Fans praised

  • authentic period dialogue and language
  • Hailee Steinfeld breakout performance as Mattie Ross
  • Roger Deakins' stunning cinematography and visuals

Detractors panned

  • Jeff Bridges' mumbling, incoherent dialogue delivery
  • slow, tedious pacing with excessive talk and minimal action
  • unnecessary remake that adds nothing to the original

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Hailee Steinfeld breakouts; Bridges polarizing mumble vs. authenticity; Damon solid

CinematographyDivisive85

Deakins' gorgeous, painterly widescreen landscapes and naturalistic lighting

AtmosphereDivisive85

immersive, gritty, cold-winter frontier authenticity

DialogueDivisive80

authentic period phrasing and wit vs. stilted, hard-to-follow speech

CharactersDivisive70

Mattie Ross as strong, precocious lead; Rooster as grizzled antihero

Plot and storyDivisive68

simple revenge chase structure; faithful to novel vs. lacking narrative depth

PacingDivisive50

leisurely, deliberate build vs. slow and tedious stretches

OriginalityDivisive35

faithful adaptation not a fresh take; close to source and prior film

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is True Grit like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense, has a few laughs and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
WarmSolemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe Coen brothers treat the period material with earnest reverence, balancing solemnity with dry warmth.
The rideThe pursuit builds tension toward a climactic shootout, with quieter character moments scattered throughout.
StructureThe story is bookended by the adult Mattie's narration, with a linear three-act journey in between.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayMattie's revenge is fulfilled at great personal cost, leaving a reflective and poignant sense of justice and mortality.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeMattie Ross hires a marshal to track and capture her father's killer, driving a manhunt through Indian territory.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSelf-worth
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Self-worth · 7% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Mattie's steely determination to avenge her father, which tests her own worth and moral compass against the rough justice of the frontier.
StanceThe film observes Mattie's stubborn quest for justice without romanticizing the violence, presenting the frontier as harsh and unglamorous.

The world

19th centuryWildernessSmall townStylized realism
FolkOrchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Carter Burwell
SettingArkansas and Indian Territory in the 1870s
MusicThe score blends traditional hymns and folk textures, evoking the period without overpowering the narrative.

Content guide

Is True Grit okay for kids?

PG-13

True Grit is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of western violence including disturbing images” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (80/100), sexual content at minimal (12/100), language at moderate (42/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (41/100) and frightening material at intense (62/100). Overall it is heavier than 91% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 24 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland15A
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Belgium16
  • Czechia12
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Greece16
  • Hungary16
  • KZЕ16
  • LTN-13
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO15
  • Spain7
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 60% of all filmsHeavier than 91% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 97%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 14%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 52%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 83%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 79%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does True Grit have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in True Grit?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Jeff Bridges
as Rooster Cogburn
Oscar nominee: Academy Award nomination — Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Hailee Steinfeld
as Mattie Ross
Oscar nominee: Academy Award nomination — Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Matt Damon
as LaBoeuf
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Josh Brolin
as Tom Chaney
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Barry Pepper
as Lucky Ned Pepper
Dakin Matthews
as Col. Stonehill
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Jarlath Conroy
as Undertaker
Paul Rae
as Emmett Quincy
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Domhnall Gleeson
as Moon (The Kid)
newcomer then · star now
Elizabeth Marvel
as 40-Year-Old Mattie

Crew

More like this

What are movies like True Grit?

Movies like True Grit include True Grit (1969), Rooster Cogburn (1975) and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written or directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, and several are mission stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its world: western. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with True Grit?

1.2K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: outlaw. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.