The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Now that is a goddamned movie title. Don’t worry; I am willing to wait 2 years. I believe I may still have been in college when I first heard about The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Here we are years later and it is obvious why this movie would sit on a shelf for an extended period of time. Two hours and forty minutes of a talky Western may not have been for the wider audience, but it sure as hell was right up my alley.

This is a Western only insofar as it takes place in the West. There was one robbery and horses were ridden and guns were fired but this was a different animal. Instead The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was a detailed character study of Jesse James and Robert Ford in the months leading up to the inevitable. And by inevitable I mean Ford kills James, hopefully that doesn’t ruin the movie for you. This was a beautifully shot film. The scenery, the interiors, the weather, every tool was used to establish the unique tone of the story. On top of that, there was a reoccurring voiceover that felt like the introduction to each new chapter in the film. Even the music wasn't your typical Western style, it felt more whimsical and was another correct choice. I can’t really even compare this to another movie and I appreciate that kind of breath of fresh air.

There were 2 equally phenomenal performances that highlight this movie. Since Jesse James’ name is listed first in the title, I’ll start off with Brad Pitt. These are the roles that solidify his status as a top-shelf actor. All of his skills are on display. To play Jesse James he had to have the right mixture of charisma and menace to make it believable that this man would drive people to follow him while at the same time scare people just with the mention of his name. There were always wheels turning when he was in a scene. Everyone would be reacting to his presence and Pitt played the notes perfectly. Every conversation he had was a contest that he was winning. On the same level was Casey Affleck. The role of Robert Ford was just as difficult because the entire movie would fall apart if the audience turns on Ford. This was something that has to be seen to believe. You can clearly see each change that he goes through on his road from hero worship to assassin. From his first scene in the forest sucking up to both James brothers to the dinner scene where he and Pitt square off after Wood is killed to his ego when he walks into the Governor’s mansion, there are nuances on top of nuances in Affleck’s performance. The supporting roles may not have been filled with heavyweights, but Sam Rockwell, Jeremy Renner, Paul Schneider, Garret Dillahunt, and Mary Louise Parker all do fantastic work. The conversation between Pitt and Dillahunt was just an amazing piece of work. In a movie that was all about the characters and less about shoot-outs, everyone took care of business.

I am very glad that The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford finally landed in theaters. It may not have been what I originally thought it would be, but that does not stop it from being a thing of beauty. Very few movies could accomplish what was done here and I appreciate that Andrew Dominik pulled of his vision for this story. Hopefully this finds an audience because the work done by Pitt and Affleck should be seen by more than me and the three other guys in the theater with me.

9 out of 10