Date Night / Dinner and a Movie: True Grit and The Purple Cow

The film is narrated by the adult Mattie Ross (Elizabeth Marvel), who explains that her father was murdered by one of his hired hands, Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), when she was 14 (Hailee Steinfeld); Chaney made off with her father's horses and two of his California gold pieces. While collecting her father's body, Mattie inquires about hiring a Deputy U.S. Marshal to track down Chaney. She is given three recommendations, but chooses to hire Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), because he is described as the most merciless. He repeatedly rebuffs her attempts to hire him.
Meanwhile, at the boarding house where she is staying, Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) arrives on the trail of Chaney. LaBoeuf has been pursuing him for several months over a murder in Texas. He proposes to Mattie that they should team up with Cogburn, since the Marshal knows the Choctaw terrain where Chaney is hiding, while LaBoeuf knows how the man is most likely to behave. Mattie rejects LaBoeuf's offer, partially because he would take Chaney back to Texas to be hanged for the prior murder, instead of her father's. After finally securing Cogburn's services, Mattie is instructed to meet him the following morning to begin the search for Chaney. Though instead of meeting Mattie, Cogburn leaves a note telling her to go home while he goes to apprehend Chaney.
After she is refused passage on the river ferry that conveyed Cogburn and LaBoeuf, Mattie demonstrates her own "true grit" by riding into the water and being pulled across by her swimming horse. (photo and synopsis from Wikipedia) I am not one to be a plot spoiler so if you want to know more please go see the movie ;)  It is WELL worth your time.

I enjoyed this movie so much.  I already like Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, but now I am a HUGE fan of the young lady who played 14 year old Mattie Ross, Hailee Steinfeld.  She is nominated for best SUPPORTING actress (???) for the role, which I just do not understand.  How is she a SUPPORTING actress when she was the star of this movie?  She was in EVERY scene.  As you can see from the movie poster above, she is not even listed.  I understand marketing, in regards to the poster, I guess...I mean if I saw her name on the poster, I would not know who she is....but I would soon understand her billing after seeing the movie.  Was there truely no more room on this poster for ONE more name?  If not, take Josh Brolin off, I mean really?  He was barely in the film and not all that memorable except he plays the man they are seaching for...

Matt Damon and Jeff Bridges were good, too, but that is a given....we all know they are good actors and I would expect nothing less.

I have not seen all the other nominated movies or performances, yet, but so far my pick for best supporting actress is Hailee Steinfeld.  I do not like changing my choice from Amy Adams, as her performance in The Fighter was very good, as well, but I was very impressed with Hailee Steinfeld, I hope she continues with her talent (we know so many young ones do not).

After the movie we went out to The Purple Cow for dinner.  This has been one of my favorite places since I took the Assisted Living residents there for lunch outing while working as a Social Director of a retirement community.  The Purple Cow is supposed to me fashioned after an old fashioned diner.  Their food is ok, depending on what you order.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE their Chicken Caesar Salad, they have this amazing olive mix in it and OMGoodness it is good.  David orders something different every time we go and he has seemed to like it all.  They also have Adult Shakes, which are different shakes with liquor added.  Although I have never had one, one of the residents where I worked has and he LOVED them.  I have had, however, plenty of their purple ice cream and it is very yummy.

While we waited for our dinner to be served, we played Trivia Pursuit.  As odd as that may sound, they had the cards from Trivia Pursuit on the table.  Well it sure beats coloring the children's menu.

We had a great time on our date night.

Tiffany