A great recent film about friendship, betrayal and the Wild West

Rating: 10/10 (12 December 2011)

I had heard great things about this film, decided to see it, and was not disappointed. What had taken me so long was never having seen anything from Dominik before, and a difficulty with both Westerns in general and in taking Brad Pitt's acting seriously, although the allure and the mystique of the Jesse James mythology was certainly enough of a pull for me to eventually give this film a chance, and I was certainly glad in retrospect that I had the courage to watch it. I cannot overemphasize how great was the cast, the music, the direction, and the cinematography. Specifically I would recommend the film to those who like me would nary the thought of watching either a Western or a Brad Pitt-featured film. More films have to be made, not of action and special effects but, like TAOJJBTCRF, that get into the hearts, minds, and souls--the humanity, if you will--of the people with the holsters, guns and horses. Many kudos to Dominik, and I actively look forward to seeing more of his work in future.