Went to see the Coen brothers' version of "True Grit" today. Good movie. The one thing that it lacks, however, is the historical weight that John Wayne carried in the original movie. Jeff Bridges does a good Rooster Cogburn, no complaints there, but his version stands isolated in time. When John Wayne played the role, he was fully believable as a washed-up old fat man because, though he was far from washed up, he was an old and fat version of his younger self. Anyone growing up in the 50s and 60s was familiar with the younger, fitter version of John Wayne and so could see, as well as feel, his slide into old age. This, I think, added a greater depth and sympathy to the role.