A visually sumptuous Western bio-myth...

Rating: 7/10 (12 September 2008)

..."The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" is Aussie auteur Andrew "Chopper" Dominik's sophomore effort, and a fine one it is thanks to an intelligent, compelling screenplay, strong production values, and top-rank acting all around. Though shot in Canada, the film captures late 19th century America with a painter's vision. The photography by the esteemed Roger "Sid and Nancy" Deakins veers at times into the territory of exquisite, especially in conjunction with the powerful score by Nick "Birthday Party" Cave and Warren "The Road" Ellis. The story centers on the odd relationship of the title characters: the one a charismatic bandit, a family man on the run, the other an idolatrous youth who becomes far more invested in his anti-hero than he ever imagined. Brad "You have to ask?" Pitt portrays James with suitable gravitas and sympathy, while Casey "Soul Survivors" Affleck surmounts the obvious age disparity between himself and the character he plays with a fully nuanced performance that simultaneously attracts and repels, easily earning his Oscar nomination for the role. The supporting cast is strong as well, notably in the persons of Sam "Galaxy Quest" Rockwell as Charlie Ford, Garret "Deadwood" Dillahunt as Ed Miller, and Paul "Elizabethtown" Schneider as Dick Liddil. Sadly, Mary-Louise "Grand Canyon" Parker is mostly wasted as James' wife, and Zooey "Almost Famous" Deschanel likewise as a minor character. Of even greater interest to me was the definite suggestion that James recognized Ford as the agent of his own conflicted suicidal tendencies. Opinions I've read elsewhere of a homo-erotic subtext between the two characters are, I think, unwarranted. Regardless, "...Jesse James..." is cinematic art of a high order, despite its novelistic, episodic nature (c.f. the voice-over and various flashbacks), and highly recommended by this reviewer.