The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Never has a film done so much with swaying fields of wheat. Andrew Dominik’s Western The Assassination of Jesse James wields the natural elements more effectively than it does its star, Brad Pitt, who plays the infamous outlaw bandit Jesse James. He’s a quiet, troubled, very nearly angsty individual, often smoking cigars and staring into the distance. When a young man named Robert Ford (Casey Affleck) shows up at the James’ gang camp looking for work. A long-time fan of the infamous Jesse James, Ford is at first rejected, but then allowed to tag along on a late-night train robbery in the woods.

Robert Ford’s unhealthy preoccupation with Jesse James propels most of the film- bordering on lust, Ford had kept comics and novellas detailing the largely exagerated exploits of Jesse James under his bed since he was a boy, and so the chance to not only meet but ride alongside James is more than appealing to him. Pitt is clearly comfortable in the charismatic, cool-guy role- not unlike Tyler Durden in Fight Club, his level of “cool” is leaps and bounds above the geek squad that surrounds him. Not to say that the performances by Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell, and Paul Schneider are anything short of excellent- in fact, they are leaps and bounds above Pitt- but they certainly aren’t filmed as romantically. The cinematographer, Roger Deakins, pulls out all the stops in this particular film, which at times feels like a showcase for over-thought and overwrought camera technique. It can be said, however, that all elements carry that same ominous tone, an almost religious-like solemnity that pervades all of the characters up to their inevitable deaths.

Let’s be honest- you know that Jesse James gets killed, and judging by the title, should be able to deduce that it’s Bob Ford that does it. The murder is crafted brilliantly, a strange alignment of tables and chairs and a feather duster and the quick, brutal act combine to again, provide a strange atmostphere. Also in keeping with the unfolding story, the scene is absent of cliche, and Dominik seems to try his darnedest to do what you don’t think he’s going to.

The film is unfortunately mostly absent of substance- sure, there are characters, but they are secondary to the lighting and the atmosphere and emotive tone. Nonetheless, whilst overlong, it appears a successful experiment and harkens back to the auteur days- a companion piece to the Coen brothers’ No Country For Old Men.