The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - The Best Movie of 2007

Every year there's a movie that takes your breath away. Every year there's a movie that you become obsessed with. Every year there comes a movie that sets standards for movies for years to come.

Well, I just found that movie.

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" is a modern day masterpiece. From the very first intriguing moment to the breath-taking end, "Jesse James" will make you come out of the theatre feeling a whole rush of mixed-up emotions.

Don't let the title fool you; just because the title tells you a very important event and who's involved doesn't mean it gives the entire movie away. In fact, far from it. "Jesse James" is not your typical Western. It delves into the lives of two very misunderstood figures in American history and not only tries to portray them individually, but tries to show the audience their very conflicted relationship.

The Story: Immediately, the movie shows the audience who the real Jesse James is. Jesse lives under a false alias, lives with his wife and two children, and is well-respected around his neighborhood. We see a sense of paranoia and isolation in Jesse. This is especially clear when Jesse is standing in a field and he's looking out in the horizon.
After the first few minutes of slow, but appropriate pacing, the story picks up. Robert Ford appears, trying to worm his way into Jesse's gang. He is automatically dismissed by Jesse's brother, Frank, so Ford tries to appeal to Jesse, asking him if he could accompany him on that night's train robbery. Jesse agrees, never caring who goes with him on the job.
The gang, in one of the most enthralling visual scenes in a movie all year, robs the train. It's after this that Frank James calls it quits, saying that he nor his brother will ever rob again.
This doesn't stop Robert Ford, however. His dream is to be in newspaper headlines with Jesse, and he diligently tries to get close to him.
Things aren't what they appear, and Jesse's fragile life starts to fracture. The country's pursuit to try and capture the elusive Jesse James puts too much pressure on his former gang members, and one by one they try their hand at capturing him. A chain of events is set into motion, that leads Jesse James and Robert Ford to their inevitable destinies.

Although the movie is long, and spans 2 hours and 40 minutes, (the original movie was over 4 hours), the time flies by and the movie's over even before you know it. All of the amazing aspects of the film keep you captivated and there is never a dull moment.

Brad Pitt stars as Jesse James, the famous or infamous outlaw that leads a double life as an insane, psychotic killer and a kind, always smiling friend. Brad Pitt portrays both of these aspects perfectly, being menacing and dangerous one minute, and kind and paranoid the next. You never know what Jesse James is thinking. Brad Pitt makes his character one to be feared, and yet one to be loved.This is arguably Brad Pitt's best performance, and his Jesse James will be the one remembered despite the fact that the outlaw has been portrayed on film many times.

Casey Affleck co-stars as the "coward" Robert Ford, the 19 year old boy who has been obsessed with Jesse James his entire life. This is the performance that will be talked about come Oscar time. His acting is brilliant in this film. Every one of his lines is layered with many subtexts, and Ford's emotions are clearly written on his sleeve. However, Ford feels many emotions at once and they're always conflicted. Throughout the entire movie, you always see Affleck with some kind of emotion in his eyes, whether it be anger, adoration, admiration, respect, love, fear, or courage. He adds a lot of depth to a character that has been greatly ignored in American history, and makes you hate him but love him at the same time. Immediately, the audience greatly dislikes Ford's weak behavior. Then, as the audience's feelings towards Ford changes, so does Ford. He changes from a cowardly, awkward young boy to a man faced with a great destiny that he must accept. He becomes brutally aware of what he is capable of, and is almost scared of what he can do. Yet he embraces his fate, full of ideas of the glory and fame that he's always wanted. Casey Affleck puts his heart and soul into his line delivery and it clearly shows. He is not Casey Affleck, he is not reciting lines, he is not playing Robert Ford, he is Robert Ford.

Another aspect of this amazing movie is the incredible cinematography and visual beauty, which we can thank both Roger Deakins and Andrew Dominik for. The movie looks like an old picture; the edges are blurred and every shot of the film looks like a piece of art. There are many shots of the beautiful landscape, which shows that despite the menace and betrayal happening in the film, there is still beauty in the world.

The score is brilliant. I have never seen a movie and focused on the music so much. The music was written by Nick Caves (who does a great cameo in the movie as a "saloon singer") and Warren Ellis. The music really enhances the tone of the film. It has Western elements in the score, but has a sympathetic and forboding mood to it. It's very pleasing to listen to and doesn't distract from the main action. The score symbolizes what's going on in the character's minds and hearts, and it fits perfectly with the dialogue and cinematography.

Andrew Dominik, who is relatively new to the directing world despite the critical success of "Chopper", is the mastermind behind this amazing film. By merely watching the film you can feel the director's love for his craft. He wrote the voluminous and fantastic screenplay. He and Roger Deakins were in charge of the masterful cinematography. He gave a lot of insight to Brad and Casey's characters. He thought up the brilliant, visually-stunning "train scene". In short, he is a genius and is one of the main reasons why "Jesse James" is a modern masterpiece.

This film is not for everyone, however. You have to go to the theatre and be willing to submerge yourself into a fascinating world for almost 3 hours. You have to be willing to delve into Jesse James's and Robert Ford's minds. You have to be willing to appreciate the artistic elements of the film, such as the cinematography, the score, and the incredibly slow, but appropriate pacing. If you're willing to do all of that, then you're in for one of the best movies in recent years. You're in for an experience that you will not soon forget, and an experience that will stay with you long after the final credits roll.

I give "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" 4/5 stars.