The film True Grit might have been shut out of the Golden Globes, but it hasn’t been shut out of the App Store. Created by Paramount Digital Entertainment the app True Grit, available only for iPad, features a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the Joel and Ethan Coen remake. What might make the app more interesting is its subtitle: Through the Lens of Jeff Bridges — while taking his turn in the role of U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn, Bridges shot all the photos included in the app.
In True Grit, users are treated to more than 60 black-and-white images of on-set action. Swiping through the landscape-only app, Bridges provides informative captions (possibly written in his own hand) on most photos that give insight to what is going on, and who is doing it. Photos cover all things filmmaking, including rehearsals, costume fitting and cast and crew members. I particularly liked the shots of Hailee Steinfeld (Mattie Ross) with her stunt and body doubles.
The app also provides the theatrical and television trailers for the film, but I found myself wishing for more of a multimedia experience. A well-designed ticket portal is provided, and, using your GPS location, True Grit finds theaters near you, and displays the film’s show times. You can then purchase your ticket through the app. Considering the dearth of content, True Grit is surprisingly unstable, and crashed at least once in every area of the app.
The photos look stunning on the iPad, and are well-composed, but once you’ve looked through the lot, there’s little reason to keep the True Grit app around.
