Haunting and beautifully filmed study of hero worship and the reality behind a legend!

Rating: 9/10 (6 December 2007)

Andrew Dominik's THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD, stands out as one of the best films of this year and one of the most interesting modern westerns to come out in recent years, and one that will certainly be ranked among other classic westerns in the future. Despite using the wild west setting the film is more of a study of the perils of hero worship and the reality of the myth or the truth behind the legend of Jesse James. It focuses on the final few years of Jesse James's life and his relationship with Robert Ford one of the members of his gang of outlaws, who worships the ground Jesse walks on. Yet Jesse's unhinged and erratic behaviour eventually disappoint and confound Ford's image and admiration for the man, eventually leading to resentment and fear of his own life, and to the assassination of the 'outlaw hero' at the hands of Ford. Dominik has crafted a true genuine American classic here that sets out to examine the western legend, who has been romanticised in so many novels and Hollywood films, to the point of being a Robin Hood sort of character, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. Yet it's far from the truth, the Jesse James we see here is becoming fearful of everyone around him, increasingly erratic and disturbed and also protective of his outlaw image that he revels in. Pitt is excellent in his role (an best actor nomination surely should be on the table for him), he displays Jesse with many nuances, both funny and interesting though also disturbing and dangerous at the same time. Every time he appears on screen you are unsure of what he is about to do, and Pitt perfectly portrays this charismatic yet disturbed individual. As Robert Ford, Casey Afflek, is excellent perfectly contemplating James' menacing yet alluring charm, with Ford's wide eyed innocence and idol worshipping enthusiasm that soon turns to resentment and fear. On top of the performances the cinematography is beautiful, perfectly done by Roger Deakins (regular cinematographer for the Coen Brothers) that captures the desolate and snowy wastelands and landscape of the American mid-west. If anything the film captures the idea and myths behind the celebrity, James is in love with his image, that masks his insecurity's and Ford, who is more or less a celebrity stalker, worships his hero, yet when meeting him in the flesh soon realises the cold hard truth behind the image of the hero outlaw. Unmissable cinema at its finest.