A work of art!! An underrated gem

Rating: 9/10 (18 May 2020)

How can a movie be so beautiful yet depressing. It almost feels like Shakesperean. One of the best shot movies ever!!Roger Deakins is awesome!And the opening train robbery!! So so beautiful.
There have been countless movies made on Jesse James and his assassination. But this movie, no scratch that, this piece of art isn't like those. It explores the relationship of Robert ford and Jesse and the reason for the titular killing. It almost feels like a romance between the two and killing being the last act of highest intimacy. Robert in his entire childhood looks upto the legend that is Jesse. He wants to be like him. But when he gets to know Jesse more he realizes he isn't this great antihero who killed the rich and looked after the poor but rather an arrogant prick ready to murder anyone who stands between him and his success. Even Jesse knows he is a bad man. That's what makes it so hauntingly beautiful. The two characters share an intimate relationship which just cannot be explained by words. Jesse has become paranoid after all his exploits and actually want to die. And he wants Robert to kill him!! And the leadup to the assassination. Cinematic perfection!!. The music just playing tragically and the sudden stop when he fires the bullet and then continues after his death, man just so frickin' awesome. And the after math of the death was so important thematically. On one side we have a daring murderous cowboy who looted people and killed women and children and on the other we have a scared individual who was just protecting his life. And who does the public recognize more? Of course Jesse James. It just gives a scathing review of the people we are and how we aren't as good as we think.
And the performances!!!!Casey Affleck just portrays Robert's fears and admiration so well, he almost steals every scene he is in, and Brad Pitt producing I think his greatest performance. Jesse James needed to be played by an electric screen presence and a huge star and Brad Pitt is both of them. Sam Rockwell does an awesome job as well(as per usual) as Robert's brother.
Actually I wasn't surprised to see the relatively low ratings here on imdb as a casual viewer might view this as boring. Agreed the movies is slow paced and there are a couple of places that dragged. And that's why I loved it. We just know the ending but the slow burn of revealing the reasons for it was just so spectacular!
If you have a higher attention span I am sure you will love it. For the others who have been watching Nolan or Fincher movies you might find it boring but try to watch it!! One of the alltime great movies