Simply put: Beautiful in every way.

Rating: 10/10 (15 April 2008)

The very first thing I noticed at the beginning of the film was the music by Nick Cave. I think he's found a good niche for his music composing for films. His last project, "The Proposition," while certainly different and a little more strange, was still haunting and gorgeous. Here in this film it sounded like Thomas Newman. In fact when I first saw the preview I could have sworn it was. A testament, I think, to the brilliance of his work.
The next thing I noticed was the wonderful, dark, and crisp cinematography. The brown grass and black suits and red blood popped off of the screen. The train robbery scene truly did haunt the rest of the film. The lighting and angles movements were dramatic and perfect.
I was surprised at Oscar season when Brad Pitt hardly got any attention at all. Maybe it was because of the subtleness of his performance, maybe it's the apparent ease at which he takes on a roll, with the seeming non-chalance he has with his gestures. Regardless, this performance like a few of his others was ambitious and well-done.
Casey Affleck, in his break-out role, gave a performance that gave me the feeling that he was extremely uncomfortable in his own skin. And his boyish voice added to the nervousness I felt every time he appeared on screen. His nomination was well-deserved.
I've read a lot of comments, here and in other places, about the length of the film. I honestly didn't notice. I was that involved. The editing and performances and the story all contributed to a riveting film. I loved every minute of it.
I can't wait to see Andrew Dominik's next film.