A tiresome experience

Rating: 3/10 (10 January 2010)

If Jesse James was really so void of personality and depth as Brad Pitt portrays him to be, then there should never have been a movie about him. There are attempts to give the guy some soul, but it doesn't work. I don't know why, maybe Pitt simply can't help being himself, and brings to the screen a very confused man who tries to be cool, cocky and depressed at the same time, but you feel it doesn't make for natural viewing at all. Even the way he speaks is very unnatural. He finds it very hard to play anything but himself.
The only redeeming feature, and the only engaging character in this film is Robert Ford, played by a magnificent Casey Affleck. He's the only guy one can connect with, even though he's a misguided, delusional youth.
That's where the compliments end. Because the film sets out as a deep character study of people without character, and cares not a iota about thrilling or entertaining with plots, it turns out to be one loooong failure.