The Assassination of the Myth?

Rating: 9/10 (24 November 2010)

I'd always resisted this film, due to its title, namely the 'coward' part. More a case of a slanderous slur, rather than a criminal charge.
After succumbing, I was swallowed in and was swept through this almost poetic tale of psychological slow-burning. The so-natural dialogue, the paced narrative that was near hypnotic. The colouring - the sparse, sympathetic music. The brilliant cinematography. The narration that was perfection; intelligent and lurid - counteracting the often bitty, scatological dialogue.
On this, my second viewing, I was glad that I used the subtitles on the DVD. Casey Afleck's mumbled drawl is certainly in keeping with his character traits but not for following the dialogue. In any case, here in the U.K, we hear of subtitles sometimes being added in the U.S as a matter of course to tell the world what our regional actors are saying.
The acting is, of course, absolutely first-rate and Brad Pitt, Sam Shepard (who I could watch forever) and all are totally mesmerising and believable.
Yes, it is too long, only that I get restless, not disinterested.
What to me is the icing on the cake was the prologue. The counteraction, the irony, the outcome. Which in some way goes somewhere toward addressing my initial concerns.