It takes a great amount of courage to give away the main plot point of a film directly in the title. But that's what director Andrew Dominick boldly does in his brilliant film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. And therein lies the beauty of the film. It isn't inherently about the act of the assassination itself, nor is it about the legend of the famous Western outlaw Jesse James. Elements of these themes are present, sure, but the film is not exclusively in debt to them.
There's a moment early on in the film when Charlie Ford (played superbly by Sam Rockwell) asks the older member of the James clan Frank (in a small role by Sam Shepard) what he'll do after he's done with robbing trains, stagecoaches, what have you, to which James replies "maybe I'll sell shoes". There's a lot to be said about the uncertainty in his voice in this moment, and this uncertainty seems to find its way into the core of the film. What does an outlaw who has only known violence his whole life do? How does one escape?
Brad Pitt expertly portrays the notorious Jesse James, an outlaw with a mean streak and a reputation the size of Texas. I'd go so far as to say that this is probably Pitt's best role, a fairly massive compliment considering the amount of extraordinary work he's done in his career. He gives James a calming demeanor, something most wouldn't think of upon mention of Jesse James. Alternatively, the presence of a legendary outlaw is sensed every time he paces into a room, even when he does something as small as eat a bowl of porridge. His anguish and torment is etched across his face, but lo and behold, just as the criminal James would have done, he masks it, locks it up and throws away the key, all in an effort to be that figure that so many people feared and were fascinated by.
I could go on and on about Pitt's performance in this film, but quite honestly, that would be a disservice to the rest of the extraordinary cast. Jesse James is riddled with amazing supporting performances, including the previously mentioned Sam Rockwell (The Green Mile, Moon) as Robert Ford's older brother Charlie. Why Sam Rockwell, who is basically a show-stealer in every movie he's in, hasn't been nominated for an Oscar yet is one of life's great mysteries. He easily could have here, bringing the confused and burdened Charlie Ford to life, while most actors would have fled for the hills. Additionally, Garret Dillahunt (No Country for Old Men, A History of Violence), who is one of the greatest actors nobody knows exists, performs exquisitely in limited screen time as Ed Miller, a part-time member of Jesse's gang. Paul Schneider (Away We Go) plays a creepo playboy to perfection and there's even a pre-Oscar Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) as James's cousin.
After all this gushing, you'd think I'd be all out of praise, but I haven't even touched on the best part of the film. No, Brad Pitt's performance, exquisite as it was, isn't even the best performance in the film. That honor goes to Casey Affleck, who's Oscar nominated performance as the coward Robert Ford is both stunning and equally haunting. I've always been a big fan of Affleck's (he's also brilliant in another 2007 film directed by his brother Ben, Gone Baby Gone) and was pleasantly surprised to see his growth as an actor here. I won't even go into his performance much, as to do so would, I think, cheapen the performance. It must be seen to be believed and had Javier Bardem not come out with perhaps the greatest villain of all time in 2007's No Country for Old Men, I'm sure that Affleck would have walked out of the Kodak theatre with a little gold statuette. His juggling of admiration for James, jealousy, contempt, hatred, and most importantly the desire to be something legendary, almost a Jesse James himself, is perfectly realized, and after seeing Affleck's performance, I can justly say that the casting director for this film struck absolute gold. Bravo.
Last but not least, credit must be laid at the feet of director Andrew Dominick. His vision comes across plainly and beautifully, something all directors should strive for. While many would have opted for quick fast-paced action in a Jesse James film (and I'm sure its been done before), Dominick opts for a tapestry-like portrayal, an overview of the moments outside of the heists and robberies, focusing on the man's relationships, specifically his relationship with Robert Ford, of course. Watching the film, I felt like I was in an art gallery, staring and analyzing beautiful paintings and works of art. Credit here must also go to the talented cinematographer Roger Deakins, who always makes films look like art. Which they are.
Additionally, Dominick has a knack for creating tension through fits of dialogue, and the haunting pauses that occur between conversation. One scene, where James has called of the Ford family for a spot of dinner, struck me as particularly Tarantino-esque, in reference to the opening scene of Inglourious Basterds, where the tension could be cut with a knife even though the audience has no idea whether anything remotely tension-worthy will even happen at the climax of the scene. Its this kind of film-making that I am constantly in awe of.
If I have a small gripe with the film, it may be that it perhaps gives away too much about what happens after the assassination. I see what Dominick's intentions were, but had I made the film myself, I may have elected to end the film immediately after the assassination and let the rest be open to interpretation. However, like I said, this is a small gripe and does not even truly begin to tarnish what will surely go down as one of the best of 2007, a year which is quickly becoming one of the greatest film-making years in the history of cinema.
FINAL SCORE: 4.5/5
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