Lyrical, crushingly atmospheric revisionist western

Rating: 10/10 (7 June 2008)

Few films of the calibre of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford emerge within the cinema these days - after all, it is difficult to envision a slow, thoughtful western with a running time as ponderously lengthy as its title being an easy sell to studios who it would seem have primarily lost interest in the genre in the first place - a fact the film's continual failure to pick up a distributor despite the presence of mega-star Brad Pitt is a testament to. But at the same time it is difficult to imagine a more compelling justification for the re-emergence of dusty trails and six-shooters than this one - an astonishingly powerful, engrossing and impeccably crafted modern masterpiece, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a breath of cinematic fresh air, and one of the most impacting films released in recent memory.
Director/screenwriter Andrew Dominik has crafted a modern day epic of near unparalleled mood, the sparse script providing a lyrical, crushingly atmospheric revisionist western, musing on fatalism, celebrity worship, madness and the construction of a legend in a truly gripping, inescapably thought provoking fashion. While the film's staggering running time and slow pacing will be enough to deter many viewers unaccustomed to such genre conventions, the film's consistently claustrophobic fatalistic overtones, like a steadily tightening glove, and sporadic, casual bursts of visceral violence make for a taught and engrossing watch throughout its lengthy duration. The film is hardly intended to boast an M. Night Shyamalan style twist, its most impacting plot point revealed within the title, but is instead a treatise on fatalism, and the overpowering, inescapable mood continually palpable throughout is truly crushing and stunning simultaneously. As Roger Deakins' exquisitely composed cinematography haunts the viewer with desolate visions of a withering west (the sequence of the last ever train robbery by James' gang is a moodily beautiful masterpiece in itself), Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' eerily affecting score craft a mood like none other, fully immersing the viewer within the nihilistic realm of the film and wrenching their emotions while flooring them with the impeccable craftsmanship of the work on display.
Staunchly driving home the resonance of the film is its powerful cast, each giving a masterfully heartfelt performance simultaneously making the material ring with realism and simmer with incendiary intensity. Brad Pitt inhabits the fragile, world weary psyche of the legendary titular character with pitch perfect muted ferocious charisma, impeccably essaying a character inevitably on the decline while feebly grasping at trace elements of his previous infamy. Behind Pitt's glimmering blue eyes lies the haunted glint of madness, and a single moment, where James lets escape a delirious cackle of a maddened laugh is the film's single most gripping and devastating moment - one of the most full bodied, masterful performances the genre has ever generated. As astonishing as Pitt's performance is, Casey Affleck manages to match him on almost every occasion as the similarly psychologically fragile Robert Ford, toeing the perfect balance between unnerving fanaticism and eerie resentment towards his idol James. However, Affleck refuses to let the audience dismiss Ford as an imbalanced mental case, and bestows enough fractured humanity after a life of rejection within the character to make his performance ring frighteningly sympathetic, a testament to the incredible talent of the rising star. Sam Rockwell also stands out, giving a subtle but powerfully resonant performance as Ford's older brother, Charley, shining in what might have dissipated into a non-existent supporting role in the hands of a less talented performer. Paul Schneider similarly impresses as an oddly verbose outlaw attempting to escape James' gang, and Sam Shepard is a powerful presence as James' older brother, radiating calm fury and muted power ever second on screen.
Haunting, resonant and tremendously moving, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford sticks with the viewer for quite some time after its initial viewing. While those unaccustomed with the western genre may find the same faults here as with the majority of its contemporaries, the sheer emotional resonance, muted technical beauty and astonishing performances are enough to buoy the film into the realm of the most powerful and affecting modern westerns, and one of the strongest films of many years past, easily worth pursuing for those seeking a numbingly powerful modern masterpiece.
-9.5/10