True Grit (2010)

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Screenplay Genre: Western / Adventure / Drama

Movie Time: 110 minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

As the film opens, Maddie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) tells the story of how Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) murdered her father. Tom was a hired hand who made off with two horses and two California gold pieces after the killing. (00:02:10)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

After Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) sets out to catch Chaney without Maddie, she races to the river to join him. She passes the river on horseback and finds Rooster and LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) about to set off on the chase. LaBoeuf scolds Maddie, but she eventually joins their ranks to catch Chaney. (00:35:15)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

Maddie and Rooster sit and wait for Chaney to come to an isolated shack. Their ambush plan goes awry when LaBoeuf (who has split from the group) comes to the shack with Chaney on his tail. LaBoeuf is accidentally shot, and Chaney gets away. (00:57:06)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

When everyone has given up the chase, Maddie finds Chaney by a river. She shoots him, but he is only wounded. Chaney and his boss, Lucky Ned Pepper (Barry Pepper), take Maddie hostage. Soon Rooster and LaBoeuf devise a plan to rescue her. Rooster kills Ned’s men, LaBoeuf kills Ned from afar, and Maddie finally kills Chaney. (01:19:01)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

The recoil from Maddie’s rifle causes her to fall into a mineshaft. She is bitten by a poisonous snake, and Rooster has to rescue her by riding all night to find help. Although her life is saved, the bite causes Maddie to have her arm amputated. (01:34:10)

← Youth in Revolt (2009)		Shutter Island (2010) →

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