The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

 Title: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Year: 2007
Director: Andrew Dominik
Country: US
Language: English

Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847 – April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, guerrilla, gang leader, bank robber, train robber, and murderer from the state of Missouri and the most famous member of the James-Younger Gang. Some considered James a "Robin Hood" like figure who stole from the rich and gave to the poor; others thought of him as a heartless killer who preyed on the weak and vulnerable. This film leans towards the latter, greatly questioning the grand myth of a man history often praises him to be. 

In The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Jesse's a wanted man, living under a pseudonym, carrying out a train robbery, disappearing to Kentucky, and reappearing to plan a bank holdup with Robert and Robert's brother as his team. The rest of his gang is either dead or captured. There is a large reward for however kills the infamous outlaw. 

The bulk of the film concerns itself with the shifting dynamics between two men; Jesse James and Robert Ford. The young Ford is in awe of James, while simultaneously terrified of him. At times he craves James' attention; "I been a nobody all my life," he confesses at one point. "And ever since I can remember it, Jesse James has been as big as a tree." James, for his part, has begun to shrink inside himself. Full of paranoia and suspicion, he is a sick outlaw who knows that death is inevitable. The entire film is an immaculate character study.

A breakthrough for director Andrew Dominik, he is tremendously aided by the contributions of cinematographer Roger Deakins. His luminous landscapes are reminiscent of Terrence Malick; his compositions of light and shadow are nothing short of spectacular. He captures 19th Century perfectly; it's as if he lived during that time period. Assassination of Jesse James is an experience unlike any other, it may even surpass the Sergio Leone Spaghetti Westerns that are often hailed as "masterpieces".

 This film is nothing short of phenomenal. At times it may carry a lingering pace, but the slow burn proves to make excellent storytelling. It It gains from an insightful and factual voiceover that occasionally turns poetic ("Insomnia clouded his eyes like soot"). The score is intrinsic to this picture, essential for creating an atmosphere of dread, loss and discovery.