A riveting, poetic, masterfully crafted, cinematic experience

Rating: 9/10 (27 September 2007)

Every now and then, in the realms of western / period dramas a very special film comes along. This is such a film. It's haunting, compelling, thought provoking, (dare I say) conversation inducing - a visual tour-De-force with stunning landscapes, emotive lighting and classic film-making techniques all rolled into one. It's been a long time since a film enveloped me in the way Andrew Dominic managed to take me right inside the carriage of the train the characters were robbing on screen. But that's just a small part of the visceral, assured strength of a film that takes its time unfolding and trusts in the performances of a well rounded, tight, cast. Yes, it was Brad Pitt who won the award at Venice, and he's competent within the range of his ability - by which I mean I've seen him give performances like this before, and he is improving with age ... but the truly subtle, charismatic and deft performance comes from Casey Affleck - his is an Oscar-worthy performance and key to the emotional success of the film. All other supporting actors are seasoned character actors.
There are some disappointments in the film too - mostly a couple of (in my opinion) bad decisions. The first is the voice over narration which is superfluous, and devaluing to the flow of the film, and the second - more serious problem - is the placement of the 'wrap up' scenes which explore Robert Ford's life after he assassinates Jesse James. The movie was over when James was shot dead. These scenes were unnecessary or at best should have been handled earlier in the story.
Regardless, Andrew Dominic's debut feature in America - like his Australian debut 'Chopper', marks him as a exceptional talent, and I for one hope to see Casey Affleck in progressively more challenging roles.
Though 3.10 to Yuma has broader appeal, this film is a more significant cinematic achievement.