The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Canada, United States
2007
160 Min
Color
2.40:1
Danish, English
Synopsis
The last months of Jesse James’s life, from meeting Robert Ford, a 19-year-old who idolizes Jesse, to the day Ford shoots him. Jesse’s a wanted man, living under a pseudonym, carrying out a train robbery, disappearing to Kentucky, and reappearing to plan a bank holdup with Robert and Robert’s brother as his team. The rest of the gang is dead, arrested, or gone from Missouri. Whenever Jesse’s around, there’s tension: he’s murderous, quixotic, depressed, and cautious. Ford wants to be somebody and wants the reward. On April 3, 1882, things come to a head: Jesse is 34, Robert 20. Ford becomes famous, reenacting the shooting on stage, facing down the label “coward,” shot dead in 1892.
Written by J. Hailey, used with permission
Director
Andrew Dominik
Andrew Dominik (born 1967) is a New Zealand-born Australian film director and screenwriter. He has directed two films so far: Chopper and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. —Wikipedia
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Catherine Krummey
21May13
Every time I think about this movie, I love it more. The cinematography and the score are beautiful, the acting and pacing perfectly low-key.
Daniel McCarthy likes this
Georgia Christodoulou
14Apr13
You reach the end credits and, for a few minutes, you just keep staring silently at the screen. I'ts definately slow and some could say it's boring but the tension it creates and those last minutes make up for everything.
HKFanatic
15Dec12
This film may very well be the definition of 'leisurely paced' but, by God, does it earn by the end. More than just a modernist Western, this is a deconstruction of the American myth and a vivid portrait of depression. Casey Affleck's performance is so unnerving that it genuinely gets under my skin; there are times when I almost want to avert my eyes from the screen. But once we reach the third act, it's Affleck who sells us on the tragedy of Robert Ford's life. This is also very likely Brad Pitt's finest acting turn.
Daniel S., David Gonzalez, Daniel McCarthy, me-too-modula, Zach Closs, Luís, Kingsley, Ejlis M. Knighte, msmichel, Trevor Tillman
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Mesmerising and melancholy Western perfection
By Nick Da Costa on December 13, 2011
Assassination is no mere killing. It takes such tawdry events and elevates them to something with real significance, be it ideological or political. Andrew Dominik’s melancholic epic takes this a stage… read review
Idolatry and 'Jesse James'
By never mind pop film on September 22, 2011
The year is 1881 and Jesse James (Brad Pitt) is, arguably, the most famous man alive. His exploits of bank and train robberies alongside his brothers are lore for even the most outcast country bumpkins… read review
Mesmerizing
By MR. Universe on November 6, 2010
This is a film that has a visual poetry that is emotional and affects you because the scenes even when nothing is happening feels so full with emotion.
The film reminds me of Terrence Malick’s… read review
Fatal Gravitation
By PolarisDiB on July 19, 2010
Less the title doesn’t make it clear, the voice over narration explicitly states the direction this movie is turning from frame one, so here is a movie nigh impossible to discuss in terms of spoilers… read review
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Favourite Box-Office flops
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Assassination of Jesse James; A modern masterpiece?
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