Whatever you think of the movie, the title is a thought-provoker. What is “true grit” anyway? Watching the perseverance of the pigtailed 14-year-old girl-woman who set out to avenge her father’s death, I marveled. What kind of woman negotiates a businessman four times her age to the ground and walks away with $325 in hard cash? Who charges across a river on horseback to catch up with a U.S. Marshal who’s broken his word? And the short answer is: someone who’s not only talented but possesses a depth of perseverance that drives her toward long-term goals. “Focus” was written all over the open countenance of Mattie Ross, and whether or not you believe revenge is a worthy goal, there’s no question that in the movie and in psychological studies of “grit,” focus over time is associated with success. Not a bad lesson in a world that promises a steady diet of distractions, quick fixes and smooth rides. Just love, by the way, that this gritty role model is a girl.
