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
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
Quite simply a masterpiece, and by far one of my favourite films. I hope the director has more in store for us.
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
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
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
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