Comments on: Coen Brothers Mock Trades; Say ‘True Grit’ Adaptation Will Be Closer To The Novel & Funnier

By: cirkusfolk

cirkusfolk — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:31:31 +0000

Well if it's gonna be a violent humorous film as opposed to a violent non-humorous one (No Country For Old Men), it can one of two ways I guess. Like I said, Fargo was very funny, in a less broad way, yet had some shocking violence in it, while Burn After Reading tried to be in-your-face funny while alos adding extreme violence. Difference is, in Fargo you bought the violence and in Reading you didn't. I just don't want them to mess it up is all. Maybe I'll read the book.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:33:03 +0000

@Monty
No, they weren't trying to be anti Hollywood. It's clear that you just don't understand the ending. The entire point of the movie would be lost had it ended differently.

Also, the Burn After Reading hate is confusing. Is it because it followed No Country and people were expecting something Oscar caliber? It is what it was intended to be, a dark, funny, take on modern middle age relationships.

By: stephen

stephen — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:44:50 +0000

circusfolk — They're not adding humor, I'm reading the Portis book right now and it is funny–very funny actually. It's also very violent.

Monty — you are most definitely in the minority, thank god.

By: James

James — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:49:14 +0000

I have no problem with this.

Adding some quirky comedy to a western revenge tale could be an interesting combination.

Of course, the Coen's could film a dag taking a crap on the side of the road and I'd probably watch it.

(P.S. @cirkusfolk...Burn After Reading was pretty good methinks.)

By: cirkusfolk

cirkusfolk — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:56:27 +0000

Nice that they they confirmed everything personally, but I don't think adding humor is the way to go. Don't get me wrong, the Coens were some of the best humorists around, but the key word there is WERE. The Big Lebowski and Raising Arizona are two of the best comedies ever and the fact that they advertised Fargo as a thriller when it also was a comedy (mind you a black one) was a joke in and of itself, but their comedies lately have really missed the mark in my opinion. I mean they made those other great films, so I'm sure they still retain their twisted sense of humor, but it just hasn't shown through with the likes of Intolerable Cruelty, The Ladykillers and Burn After Reading. Thats why I was so happy with No Country For Old Men. That film has some of the best violence I've seen on screen, and after it came out, the Coens were quoted saying they have a western script they wrote that is the bloodiest thing they've ever written. Well, I wanted to believe it was this True Grit remake, as what's the chances the Coens mention they wrote a western and then announce they're about to shoot a western and it's not that film? I guess better than you'd expect.

By: Monty

Monty — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:17:32 +0000

Hmmhmhm...
I think the coens wanting to be more "Faithful" to the book, is a terrible idea...
I think that it's always better when a movie adptation departs from it's source (And history pretty much has my back on this one...)
And the reason for this is quite simple... What works in a book, sometimes (often) does NOT work in the same way on film.
That is what ruined (in my humble opinion) their overrated "No country for old men".
They decided to go where the book went, and that just didn't work for a movie with so much build up.
It's so misplaced, it's hard to believe.
I'm sure they thought they were being clever, and anti hollywood (and that is pretty much the defense from everyone who loved that movie) but there is nothing smart about that ending.

Of course, I am not the biggest Coen fan really, so i might be in the minority here, i only liked (A LOT!!!) The super cult classic "The Big Lebowsky" and thought "fargo" was ok. But that's pretty much it.