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The
Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
(2007)
 
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward
Robert Ford is the
near perfect synergy of every cinematic element to make a wonderous
work of art. Everything normally overlooked by viewers,
from set design to costumes, cinematography to sound design
and score all flow together into a cohesive whole so well that
it's difficult to believe it's even a film. Beyond its
technical achievements, the film tells a story in a masterful
blend of precise pacing, intricate character development and raw
pathos which is virtually unmatched by modern films. In
many ways Assassination is unlike any film before
in its ability to capture the essence of the West so gorgeously
and so effectively.
Based on the fact-based novel
by Ron Hansen, The Assassination of Jesse James by the
Coward Robert Ford recounts just that, but not in the
straightforward way the title implies it will. Arguably
the most famous outlaw of the American West, Jesse James (Brad
Pitt) was the very definition of a living legend, the object
of tall tales and children's stories, and a front-page newsmaker
throughout the nation. When Jesse takes on a new gang,
one of the green recruits is the young Robert Ford (Casey Affleck),
whose idolization of Jesse knows no end. But when Bob
starts to feel that Jesse doesn't reciprocate his adoration,
his obsession takes him to a very dark place with catestrophic
results.
Assassination moves at
a pace that replicates the West better than any Western yet,
all the while retaining all the momentum and drive of the
most tense thrillers and utilizing this expanded time to explore
character as deeply as any melodrama. Unlike its primary
competition in the genre, Anthony Mangold's 3:10 to Yuma (which
I also loved), it doesn't
succumb to modern pressure to incorporate
contemporary stylistic elements and action pacing. If modern
filmmaking technology had existed one hundred and fifty years
ago, one would guess that the resulting film would have been The
Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford .
The justification for this statement is overwhelming in the
film, which
is
about as authentic to the time as they come, down to the flies
and ever-present dust and dirt.
Visually, cinematographer Roger Deakins (who also awed audiences
this year with his Western-influenced work on No Country
for Old Men) creates a tableau in which the landscape
and the characters seem to be both at one with each other and
completely at odds, such that they appear to be made for one
another to struggle with. He often shoots through the
uneven glass that would have filled windows of the time, creating
an offputting, but verisimilitous, style. As uneven as
the visuals might appear at these moments, there's no unevenness
to the film as a whole.
In fact, the degree to which every element of the film is balanced by something
else is staggering. We feel sorry for Jesse's life plagued with suspicion
and loneliness while also feeling equally sorry for Bob as his dream is shattered
and his heart is filled with bitterness. As Bob learns that Jesse
is not the heroic figre of his boyhood and that he can make a bigger name for
himself by bringing Jesse to justice than joining his gang, his disillusionment
becomes such an overpowering force that is practically engulfs the viewer as
well as the character.
Similarly, Pitt creates a Jesse that is both an epic charicature
of the legend he became (placing the audience in the same idolicizing
position as Ford) and a real person characterized by the same
flaws and inner turmoil as anyone else. Though he has been
overshadowed by Affleck's performance, Pitt has reached a new
high for his already impressive career, and shows that despite
the number of Hollywood puff pieces he might take part in, there's
a real actor behind that pretty face.
Affleck does a superb job portraying Ford's immaturity and inability
to hide when he is upset or overwhelmed. Given his conflicting
motivations from those of Jesse, the one problem with the film
is that anyone as suspicious as Jesse wouldn't permit Robert
to remain so close to him for so long.
That said, Affleck has had a truly breakout year, between this
and his starring role in Gone Baby Gone and will surely
be popping up in more stellar roles and films in the near future.
Though the film clocks in at well over two hours in length, The
Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is
nearly flawless from beginning to end, and is well worth every
second one could spend watching it. While it's inevitable
that the film will be lost among the larger 'award-worthy' productions
from the year, for Western fans or history buffs, there are few
films that could ever eclipse the legend Assassination is sure
to become.
-Mark
Moreland
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All contents ©
2004-2009 Thoughtsonfilm.com |
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Director:
Andrew
Dominik
Writer: Andrew
Dominik, Ron Hansen
Starring: Brad
Pitt, Casey Affleck, Mary-Louise Parker, Paul Schneider, Jeremy
Renner, Sam Rockwell, Sam Shepard
Distributor: Warner
Bros. Pictures
Runtime: 160
min
Rating: R
Release Date: September
21, 2007
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