I watched the 2010 version of True Grit the other day http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403865/
While there were many fine performances in the film, the most memorable was from Hailee Steinfeld – the actor played Mattie Ross, the 14 year-old girl out to avenge her father’s murder. While we could focus on many aspects of the film: the quirky storyline; the Coen brothers as directors; the on-screen chemistry among the main actors – I’m going to look at just one thing.
Recoil.
Why? Recoil is that force that shows up when fire a gun. You might recall that little principal from high school physics –
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. |
How? In Mattie’s case – perhaps she would have braced herself differently when she pulled the trigger on that rifle. Perhaps she would not have tumbled into that snake-infested cave. Not been bitten by that viper. Not lost her arm. She might have had a very different life; hard to say – I’ve never written a screenplay.
For the rest of us, being able to anticipate the likely outcome to a choice or an action could come in handy. We might:
- choose our words more carefully
- make healthier choices
- stay on the path towards our goals more consistently