Review of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) by Christopher H — 29 Nov 2012

Without a doubt, one of the best imaginings of Jesse James ever envisioned in film. Andrew Dominik lets the emotional weight sink in with a slow and steady pace that pays off, alienating to casual viewers, but completely justified to those willing to settle in.

Led by a perfect performance from Brad Pitt as Jesse James and a commanding breakthrough performance from Casey Affleck, these two simply scratch the surface of a well-stacked cast, including stellar showings from Paul Schneider, Jeremy Renner, Sam Rockwell, and Garrett Dillahunt.

Poetic and thoughtful, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" is a labor of love towards an American icon, shot brilliantly by master Roger Deakins, scored soundly by composer Nick Cave, and affectionately handled by writer-director Andrew Dominik.