The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Perfection.

I think I will just come right out and say it from the off, this is a masterpiece, a truly spell binding, mesmerising tour de force that seeps class from every pore. I have often found myself cringing and turning my back on those who use in film debate the tired old defence of "it's not for everyone", but here I find I have no choice because this picture is purely for those enamoured with poetic beauty and precision film making at its highest. Those in search of an all action gun toting western need not apply, in fact those merely after popcorn fodder to while away an evening viewing should steer well clear. Andrew Dominik's second directorial effort is a character and dialogue driven piece of work, its thematic heart swirling with intelligence and elegiac beauty.

The story centrers around the final days of notorious outlaw Jesse James, and how one of his young disciples came to murder him on April 3rd 1882. Using Ron Hansen's novel as its source, it also fills in the gaps as to what became of the murderer Robert Ford as regards the subsequent aftermath of killing the infamous Jesse James. The film is dealing with issues all to prevalent in modern day society, we are witnessing perhaps the first instance of celebrity status gone berserker, we see how the press glamorise the nasty piece of work that was Jesse James, turning him into some sort of quintessential noble outlaw. We observe a stalking menace yearning to be like his hero, a young and impressionable fellow who's hurtling towards infamy completely oblivious of the pitfalls and irony of it all.

Structually the film is perfect, and to me the film defines the old saying of art on the silver screen. The performances of the lead actors are incredible, Brad Pitt gives a career high as Jesse James, all teetering villainy yet perfectly befitting the prince charming outlaw persona so gleefully built up by the press. Sam Rockwell is Charley Ford, and here he proves that movie big wigs really need to start giving the guy some more dramatic roles to get his teeth in to. Yet as good as Pitt & Rockwell are, both men are left trailing in the wake of Casey Affleck's performance as Robert Ford, childish emotion fused with flecks of dark undercurrents as Affleck layers a perfect show. How the academy chose to ignore this performance should be seen as an act of treason against American cinema.

Few films have left me open mouthed in admiration at the quality on show, but shot after shot, frame after frame, this really is as gorgeous as it comes. Roger Deakins photography sublimely pleasing the eyes at every edit, be it lush rolling hills cloaked in snow, or shadowy figures appearing like ghosts from locomotive smoke, with Deakins firmly cementing his reputation as a master of his craft. The score from Nick Cave & Warren Ellis perfectly captures the ambiance and texture of the piece, with Cave himself bagging a cameo performance as a bar room busker. It's incredible to think that this is only director Andrew Dominik's second feature film, following on from the hugely enjoyable Chopper in 2000, it is now evident that New Zealand can lay claim to producing a talent that if all goes to plan, will go on to become a director to rank up with the best of them.

As it is, and just right now, The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford should be filed along side Vertigo as a member of that club that only admits the greatest American films of all time, and that be even if it was directed by a Kiwi, wink wink America.

Masterpiece. 10/10

***The last seven months in the life of Jesse James***

Brad Pitt stars as the famous outlaw in this chronicling that begins with the Blue Cut Train Robbery that took place in Missouri on September 7, 1881. Casey Affleck co-stars as Robert Ford, a 20yo member of Jesse's gang, who kills James for the reward, but also because he and his brother, Charles (Sam Rockwell), feared for their lives. The final 25 minutes detail the Ford brothers’ lives over the course of the next decade after James' execution on April 3, 1882. Paul Schneider, Garret Dillahunt, Jeremy Renner, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker, Kailin See and Zooey Deschanel have notable support roles.

It’s a funereal, realistic Western consisting of long dramatic sequences spiced with flashes of violence. Although critically praised, it bombed at the box office and some people scoff at it as a slow bore. Yet I found it pretty mesmerizing, even haunting, not to mention that it should be commended for being an eccentric Western. There are several highlights during its 2 hours and 40 minutes, like the opening train robbery, the outhouse rendezvous between Dick Liddil and Sarah (Schneider and Kailin See), the tense gunfight in the upstairs of a frontier house, Jesse's assassination, and the interesting aftermath.

The movie makes a point of depicting Jesse as a paranoid man on his way to an early grave because he foolishly painted himself into a criminal corner. At least Frank James (Shepard) had the scruples to leave outlawry and move east, although his brother eventually pulled him back. Jesse is shown lamenting what his life had become and even shooting one of his comrades in the back, like a coward, not to mention abusing an adolescent. Yes, Ford later shoots Jesse in the back, but it had to be done. Jesse's days were numbered due to his own bad choices. Plus Robert and his brother were afraid that Jesse was going to shoot them at any moment. Also keep in mind that Jesse wasn't no frickin' Robin Hood; he stole from the rich and regular folks alike and gave to... well, himself. In light of all this the title of the movie is ironic, but when the legend becomes fact, print the legend.

The Alberta and Winnipeg, Manitoba, locations are picturesque, but they aren’t the best stand-in for Missouri and Kentucky, where the real-life events took place. These are Eastern states, albeit "midwest." The locations in the movie look like what they are, the northern prairie. "The Long Riders" (1980) is more accurate on this front. Yet the town of Creede, Colorado in the last act involving Robert Ford was effectively recreated for a high price near Goat Creek in Alberta.

It was shot Aug-Dec 2005.

GRADE: B+