The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

 The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 2007

• Director: Andrew Dominik
• Based on the book by Ron Hansen
• Cast: Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker, Sam Rockwell, Jeremy Renner, Garret Dillahunt, Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Brad Pitt – Ad Astra, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, World War Z, The Tree of Life, Inglourious Basterds, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Burn After Reading, Babel, Troy, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Friends, The Fight Club, Being John Malkovich, Meet Joe Black, Twelve Monkeys, Seven, True Romance, Thelma and Louise
• Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea, Interstellar, Gone Baby Gone, Lonesome Jim, Hamlet, Good Will Hunting
• Sam Shepard – August Osage County, The Pledge, Hamlet, Snow Falling on Cedars, The Pelican Brief, Steel Magnolias
• Mary-Loise Parker – Romance and Cigarette, Angels in America, Fried Green Tomatoes
• Sam Rockwell – Jojo Rabbit, Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri, Moon, Frost/Nixon, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Galaxy Quest, The Green Mile, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Jeremy Renner – Avengers, 28 Weeks Later, North Country
• Garrett Dillahunt – Widows, 12 Years a Slave, Looper, Winter’s Bone, The Road, Terminator the Sarah Connor Chronicles, No Country for Old Men
• Paul Schneider – Lars and the Real Girl, Bright Star
• Zooey Deschanel – 500 Days of Summer, The Happening, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Good Girl, Almost Famous
• Why? The cast. And I like the title.
• Seen: 10 December 2021      

       Jesse James (Pitt) is in his 30’s and he’s getting worn out. He lives with his wife (Parker) and children, who do not know that he’s a robber and a killer. He is also a confederacy loyalist who, fifteen years after the end of the Civil War, does not accept defeat. He and his gang are racist, and misogynist, and they hate the Yankees.

       Geeky young Robert Ford (Affleck) has idolised Jesse James all his life and now wants to join the gang to fulfil his ambitions of greatness.

       It takes a long time for the tension to build up, but it does, slowly and inexorably.

       Brad Pitt can play this kind of role in his sleep and do it expertly. And, wow, is he good. If Casey Affleck hadn’t yet convinced us of his acting prowess, we’re convinced now. Wow, is he good.

       This is not the Jesse James story one usually sees.       

4 * of 5.