Review of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) by Filipeneto — 26 Jun 2021

Revisit and demystify Jesse James.

Western-themed movies aren't my thing, but every now and then I entertain myself by watching some. This was one of the most recent ones I've seen, and I wasn't disappointed. The plot focuses on the historical figure of Jesse James, murderer and bandit who went down in US history and was, during his lifetime, a social and cultural icon. Talking about him and his image is something that still arouses passions and a lively historical debate. This is not the place to check the veracity of everything that is said about him, but we can say right away that he is a figure in constant revision, and that this film was able to resist the temptation to follow James' mythology, giving us a more historically accurate portrayal of the character.

The script doesn't give us an overall perspective on James' life but allows us to see how he ended up dead in treason by the Ford brothers, members of his own band. The film, directed by Andrew Dominik, is a slow drama, in which the pace and duration of almost three hours will surely keep the most restless audience away. There are moments of action, but they are punctual, and the entire film focuses on building and developing the characters, especially Robert Ford.

The cast is remarkable and is headed by Brad Pitt, one of the best works of his acting career, at least in my eyes. He's impressive and commanding, and his presence fills the screen and steals attention with strong charisma and remarkable dramatic ability. Casey Affleck, too, was fully committed to his work and was happy in the way he revived Robert Ford. We couldn't demand more or better from these actors. Besides the two of them, the film also features good performances by Sam Shepard, Sam Rockwell and Paul Schneider.

Technically, it's an amazing movie, starting with wonderful cinematography, sharp, very focused, with a clever use of darker colors and landscapes. The train arrival scene at night is one of the most visually impressive I've seen in a while. The sets and costumes also play their role very well, and they seemed incredibly rigorous and respectful of the period and historical context. The soundtrack fits the final result very well.