Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford

This movie deserves more appreciation. When it premiered at Cannes, it received standing ovations and rave reviews, and then it seemingly just kind of went away. It shouldn’t have. It is one of the best westerns in the last 10 years, maybe even the best.

Brad Pitt plays Jesse James, in his remaining days before his assassination. If you think I am spoiling this for you, just look at the title, or you know, read a history book. Casey Affleck plays the conniving and oddly creepy Robert Ford, who is once obsessed with James, only to learn to despise him.

The movie is astonishingly beautiful with long shots of stunning scenery. The score is also haunting, but it is the performances that really drive this movie. Director Andrew Dominik had only made one movie 7 years prior to this, and his most recent, Killing Them Softly, received mixed reviews.  The movie did receive cuts after it premiered at Cannes, reducing its runtime to 160 minutes, and a director’s cut is hopefully in the works.

More people need to see this movie. History buffs, cinematography fans, and anyone who just wants to see a great underrated movie.

This movie is however unavailable from any free streaming sites. It is $3 to stream on Amazon, $5 to own on DVD or $10 to own on Blu Ray, I personally would recommend anyone to just buy it. It is more than worth it.