The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

This film examines the last days of the notorious outlaw Jesse James. Pitt is competent in his portrayal of the brutal Jesse, who was paranoid and possibly suffering some sort of mental disorder. Pitt generates a little ambivalent sympathy for the character. But this is no glamorization of the bloody outlaw, quite the reverse, and his tendency towards sadistic, twisted violence is clearly shown. Casey Affleck is actually quite good in his role as James' murderer but the character he plays is such a strange man that it is hard to appreciate the performance.

This is another entry in the genre of dark, reality based westerns. The lives portrayed are so dismal and the story is so appalling it is hard to like this film. However, the grim psychological portraits create some interest; one can appreciate the beautiful cinematography filmed in Canada; and take pleasure in Pitt's usual top-quality performance which allows us to feel a little warmth for the evil man he portrays. I appreciate the artistry of this film but I would not like to see it again.

If ever there was a film capable of fully hypnotizing the viewer, this jewel could be it. Director/writer Andrew Dominik has skillfully crafted a wonderful masterpiece with his stunning, haunting movie, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD. This is grand, absorbing cinema at its finest, complete with remarkable vistas, a moving musical score, terrific acting, and compelling story. If not hypnotizing, this film is certainly mesmerizing.

Based on Ron Hansen's exceptional novel, the film depicts the final months of the infamous--yet wildly popular--train robber, Jesse James. The film follows the novel closely (only condensing the story in the end); accordingly, the movie runs exceptionally long. I can see where this would be a problem with viewers unfamiliar with the book, but for those of us fortunate enough to have read (and appreciated) Hansen's grand tale, the film is a most suitable adaptation. I'm not a Brad Pitt fan, but very much enjoyed the actor's portrayal of the moody, pensive, paranoid, often brutal outlaw. With a $25,000 bounty on his head, James becomes increasingly unstable--often such instability proved fatal to members of his gang. Pitt, of course, excels in depicting unstable characters; his portrayal is vividly believable.

As immature, brooding, envious, often creepy Robert Ford, Casey Affleck is exceptional. He very much carries the freight when he's the central emphasis of any scene. Sam Shephard is effective as Frank James, the quiet, more common sense leader of the James Gang; and I was very pleasantly surprised to see political hack James Carville make a cameo as Missouri Governor Crittenden. Carville's not bad. . .not bad at all. Yet I was most impressed with Sam Rockwell, who plays Robert's older brother, Charley. Torn between his loyalty to James and his growing fear that kid brother Bob's cooperation with law enforcement could ultimately prove fatal, Rockwell is spellbinding. Following the death of James, Charley Ford's descent into madness and despair is swift, and Rockwell depicts it flawlessly.

Again, this is a film skillfully crafted, augmented by Warren Ellis's and Nick Cave's haunting musical score, and Hugh Ross's masterful narration. Yet the MVP of this movie is director of cinematography Roger Deakins. Wow, can this guy bring us beauty and artistry and period and drama--all through the lens of a camera. Soft focus, time lapse, even recreation of a 19th Century daguerreotype--Deakins's craftmanship is superb. As is the entire experience watching THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD. Enthusiastically recommended for all cinema buffs.
--D. Mikels, Author, The Reckoning

Great cinematography, some of the best I've seen, however, the camera work is the movie's shining feature. The rest of the movie is extremely slow paced and almost boring.

How a movie can be so many things is a testament to director Andrew Dominik's talent and vision, as well as to his inability to get out of his own way. What is ultimately an engrossing study of two flawed men on a collision course with destiny is weighed down by slow pacing and a failure to recognize that the characters, performances, and story are so powerful, that you don't need to remind the audience that you're taking your time to showcase your own brilliance and pretension. The movie is a cinematic jewel, capturing images that are mesmerizing in their beauty and highlighting the darkness in our hearts. The performances by everyone in this cast are out-of-this-world, but especially by the rich complexity given to the tragic Bob Ford by Casey Affleck. Your patience is paid off nicely in the end with the inevitable, and poetic, assassination and aftermath. You will be moved and you will never forget this journey you went on. You won't be able to stop thinking about it. The movie sticks with you in a way few films do. You will come to appreciate its beauty and courage, and maybe you'll wish that such an unforgettable story had been trusted by its chief storyteller. Maybe the movie is supposed to be a paradox, just as its main characters. Jesse James was psychotic, caring, paranoid, smart, frightening, and faithful family man. Why shouldn't a gorgeous movie about the last days of his life be just as maddening...

The film is made for Blu-ray and should be appreciated on the format if you can. It's worth it.

This movie was so boring!! The actors in this movie do the best with what they have. It took me 3 tries before i actually got to sit down and watch the entire movie. Mostly, because i kept getting bored and cutting it off. Brad Pitt carries this movie most of the way but it's entirely to slow paced. This is not a movie, this is actually a documentary pretending to be a movie. They should have made a documentary about the Life and Death of Jesse James. Brad Pitt could have even narrated. That's basically all this is anyway.