The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

An artistic western is in itself a combination that I would consider an oxymoron rather than anything else. Well, this film didn't change my mind about it. The comparison with Terrence Malick is quite fitting because the pace is similar. Yes, there is so much hidden beneath the surface, it certainly is a gem, as some say. I just have a feeling that the creators wanted to make something out of the western genre that it is not, and so they didn't really make a western at all, but rather an artistic biography with subtext. Talking about tension here simply isn't possible. I don't understand Dominik's perspective on the world and I don't even have the desire to understand. I would actually believe that the original novel would be more interesting to read. (03/25/2014)

It’s been a long time since I first saw this movie. Back then, I hadn’t yet been exposed to all the best western movies and so I rated it three stars. But now I thought that this movie couldn’t have been so bad and so I’ve risked watching the 153 minutes again. At that point, I minded the overly lengthy watch time once again, but I enjoyed the Pitt vs Affleck acting performances so much more. I was also enjoying the movie’s atmosphere along with the story itself and the best thing about it was the music by Nick Cave who had a few cameos himself. This movie is very original. I get the differing opinions: either you like it a lot or not. Either you respect its originality or not. At first I just respected it, but now I have to say that as far as cinematography goes, I enjoyed some of the moments a whole lot as well. (07/13/2014)

Brad Pitt gave one of the best performances of his career, and if Andrew Dominic hadn't made it so long, this might have been one of his best movies. The unnecessary rambling of the story takes away from its intensity and distracts from the main plot. I guess that's the only thing that bothered me. The other actors do their best, too, and Casey Affleck is either a great actor or a total douche in reality. Ford is an ugly figure, and even the ending couldn't redeem him in any way. He did what he did, and I didn't care at all that he regretted it. A young naïve fool who wanted to become famous and killed his friend. In a cowardly way, from behind, and for no fundamental reason. We shouldn't kill our heroes, we should look up to them. A very strong four star rating. (03/18/2008)

American history and national myths feature the story of the famous outlaw Jesse James. Rather than being an artistic western, the film is more of an anti-western that consistently breaks the genre's stereotypes and is uncompromising in its rejection of western clichés. This is its main advantage, but paradoxically also its greatest weakness. Film fans often complain about clichés, but at the same time, they really like them. Andrew Dominik did not conceive his film as an adventure story, but rather as a slowly flowing biographical story of Jesse James. The problem is that the runtime is dragged out and the film as a whole is unremarkable, so when combined with melancholic music, it acts like a sedative. Those who start watching the film late at night hoping to be entertained have a decent chance of falling asleep. The film has several strengths, such as the cast, where a group of excellent actors come together, and the excellent camera work. However, the overall impression is strongly influenced by the lack of dynamic action and effects that would be able to energize viewers. Overall impression: 55%. (12/13/2009)

Perfect in every moment. The film is of a similar vein as Malick's The New World – poetic cinematography, no rush, a story that flows very slowly and gives the great performances of the protagonists space to shine through. In Casey Affleck's case, I feel that maybe he was born to play Bob Ford. A perfect prototype of a down-to-earth little rat without a shred of charisma (in appearance, speech, gesticulation), who tries to match his bandit idol, but it’s clear that he is not up to it. At the same time, however, he arouses ambivalent feelings, partly you strongly dislike him, partly you pity him and even understand him a little. Affleck's performance was so mesmerizing that it almost overshadowed Pitt himself. He plays everything with the power of his personality, he doesn't have to try too hard, it’s enough that he "is", one probing gaze can bring you to your knees. His Jesse James is a perfectly unreadable character who hides behind a stoic, calm and animalistic brute who can blow your head off and not even blink. I have no hesitation in writing that I saw Pitt give the best performance of his career here. There are no fireworks, the film is more of an emotional affair, and if you are into MTV and believe Transformers is the best movie you’ve ever seen, do not bother with this one. For me personally, the best western in years, where every scene has a solid place and where the editor's scissors should be hidden deep in a drawer for once. PS: After 6 unsuccessful nominations, it's really time for that Oscar, Roger Deakins. (02/02/2008)