the Coen brothers. Though it's obvious that one is more well-known and acclaimed than the other, it's undeniable that they could actually compete with each other in many ways.
Indeed, the two movies are similar in some instances - and not just because of their genre. This has led some viewers to compare the two and see which one could come out on top as the definitive winner.
The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs: The Ensemble Cast Makes The Story Better
Because of its unique narrative structure, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs has a pretty big ensemble cast. But instead of being confusing and making the characters forgettable, the ensemble cast makes the story better in so many ways.
Every actor and actress fits their roles quite well, no matter how small these roles are. From Liam Neeson, there aren't many particularly well-known names, but most viewers will probably recognize at least half of them from other roles in different movies.
True Grit: There Are Memorable Characters
On the other hand, True Grit's limited number of characters lets its actors shine through better making these very characters way more memorable.
It's not surprising that both Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld got Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best ing Actress respectively for their performances.
The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs: The Unusual Format Makes The Movie Stand Out
As mentioned earlier, the movie is not presented in a conventional way. The narrative is made up of six vignettes with different stories, all of which take place on the American frontier.
This unusual format is exactly what makes the movie stand out so much. It's not unique, but there are definitely not that many movies made this way, so it's always nice to see something like this for variety.
True Grit: The Lead Actress Had A Breakout Performance
Academy Award and BAFTA nominations. With her Oscar nomination, she became one of the ten youngest nominees in history.
After her role in True Grit, Steinfeld went on to star in such movies as Bumblebee, and others.
The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs: The Costume And Set Design Is More Varied
Despite the fact that both of these movies are Westerns, they have some differences in the way they approach costume and set design: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs has more variety while True Grit opts for uniformity.
But this variety is probably why the movie looks more interesting than its predecessor. The costumes add more nuance to the characters while the different locations with their detailed sets help elevate the story.
True Grit: The Atmosphere Is More Uniform
To some extent, the structure of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs prevents it from having a more uniform atmosphere which is present in True Grit.
This is due to the fact that the stories in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs vary in length and sometimes in tone which makes the pacing more uneven than it could have been.
The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs: The Memes Make The Movie Live Online
One interesting thing that can make a movie live on even outside of its story is its transformation into an element of Internet culture - memes.
Luckily for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, the memes were endless and made the movie famous on the Internet letting the movie live on even when it might not have received the necessary marketing to become a huge cultural phenomenon.
True Grit: The Plot Is More Intriguing
Another downside of the structure The Ballad of Buster Scruggs opts for is that it doesn't allow the movie to tell a lengthy cohesive story instead resorting to short stories.
This, on the other hand, makes True Grit superior because the plot of this movie is more intriguing. It's unusual to have a little girl be one of the main characters in a Western - especially not one so courageous and stubborn.
The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs: The Concept Is More Interesting
No matter how interesting it is to have a young girl at the center of the story in True Grit, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs still seems to have a more interesting concept.
It is a movie that doesn't rely solely on one hook but rather on the premise of having multiple stories that deliver bite-sized emotions to the audience.
True Grit: The Dynamic Between The Characters Is More Fun To Watch
Because the focus is mostly on a small group of characters, the relationships between them are more developed and so the dynamic between these characters is way more fun to watch.
This is why True Grit was so well-received both by critics and audiences - it was genuinely enjoyable in the way it was funny at times while serious in other instances.
