The Review of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford by the pseudo-Intellectual Me

Rating: 10/10 (10 June 2016)

Andrew Dominik's "...Jesse James..." is one of the best films I have seen in years. I know movie goers expected this to be an action western romp when it first came out, but that's not what the film ever intended to be.
The film is about fame, obsession and how we'll be remembered. It excels as a woeful character study of the "assassin", Robert Ford, despite what the title would have you believe. And the title is important. This is the first time I've actively studied the title of a film to extract meaning from the story, as it's significance is important to understanding what Dominik is trying to imply. Casey Affleck is oddly sympathetic, once again despite the fact that I'm 'meant' to be repulsed by or hostile toward him. This is by in large, due to the framing of the story which shifts far more focus on his character than the supposed titular character, Jesse James. The assassination itself is ultimately ancillary to the story of a man forgotten and vilified by not only his contemporaries but it's implied that history also looks at him unfavourably.
It is shot beautifully by Roger Deakins. This certainly helps you get through 2 hours before one of the best endings, you'll feast your eyes on, affirming everything you think and know about the characters and their placement in the world. It's certainly worth a watch, hopefully you can draw just as much meaning out of it as I did because there is so much more I want to say about it.
I forgot to mention all the acting is great, and there's a great cameo at the end.