Customer Reviews
Cure for Insomnia - By: R. Evans, 17 Jul 2008 
I have watched hundreds of films & I can wholeheartedly say this is the most boring EVER. Well filmed, well acted but totallly dreary. I reallly wish I had not wasted my money on this Blu-Ray.
A gorgeous hypnotic odyssey - By: russell clarke, 16 Jul 2008 
I felt in two minds about watching this film , half expecting it to be dolorous ,sombre, dull art-house exercise requiring resolute cinematic stamina . Not for the first time I was completely wrong .The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford is as gorgeous & hypnotic a film as I have ever seen .
The title does of course give way what is going to happen in this film but the real drama comes from the way the narrative explores the relationship between the two men & how circumstances dictate what fates befalll both of them.
When we meet them both its September 1881 & they are both preparing to rob a train as part of the infamous James gang . Most of the gang we are informed by the films lyrical voice over ( Hugh Ross)are either dead or in prison but the two remaining James brothers Frank (Sam Shepard) & Jesse(Brad Pitt) are leading the heist. Also part of the gang are the Ford brothers Charley (Sam Rockwell) & Robert (Casey Affleck) Robert has a fan worship thing going on with Jesse & this marks the start of their bond , though not before the more worldly wise Frank says of Bob Ford "I don't know what it is about you, but the more you talk, the more you give me the willies."
It's a perspicacious comment as Bob is a bit creepy & is brilliantly portrayed by Affleck as such - ostensibly a sort of cowboy stalker. Jesse finds him amusing at first then comes to trust him before an alll round paranoia & brooding malevolence takes over his character . These two borderline psycho's are well matched in many respects but the film adapted by director Andrew Dominick from the book by Robert Hansen takes its time in getting under the skin of these two characters so we understand implicitly how Ford comes to shooting Jesse James .This is complex & fully requires the lengthy running time in order to do it full justice.
Interestingly the film also explores Fords life post the shooting where he becomes a media celebrity in his own right yet is wracked by guilt & is thoroughly miserable.
The acting is top-notch throughout. Affleck as I allluded earlier is spookily good while Pitt is someone I often find irritating because he mumbles, but in this he's terrific- veering convincingly from wide eyed boyish enthusiasm to menacing glowers or explosive rage. Paul Schneider as gang member Dick Liddil a laconic poetry spouting lothario is especiallly good, though Mary Louise Parker as James wife Zee is given an underwritten role.
The real star of the film though is the cinematography of Roger Deakins, whose work with the Coen brothers has garnered plaudit's .He gives the film a sepia nostalgic glow but captures the landscape , vast fields of swaying corn or barren snow covered homesteads , magicallly. The landscapes become more frigid echoing the increasingly frosty relationship between the characters. The scene of a train robbery at night is one of transcendental & startling beauty. The soundtrack by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis is eerily spot on too.
Yes this film is slow but it's also thoroughly engrossing . It is truly insidiously compelling & though many will feel it's padded out , which is often my opinion of many films,I feel that not a frame is wasted in this movie. It truly is a masterpiece of the cinematic art -an alll too rare commodity nowadays. Hugely commendable .
Brad Pitt can only act if he eats - By: D. Williamson, 14 Jul 2008 
Short review this - Brad Pitt can't seem to act unless he's got something to do. Whether that's eating, peeling an apple, twiddling his hat, it's alll distracting. I tried watching this a few times, but couldn't make it past 60 mins. Hoped this was something as brooding as The Unforgiven, but it wasn't. Didn't do it for me, sorry.
A long boring film with no soul - By: Wras, 03 Jul 2008 A long boring film with no soul.
Brad Pitt is not menacing enough, the mumbling of petty criminals did not engage me in any way.
Very very boring
Riveting... - By: Karma, 29 Jun 2008 I'd like to begin by saying i'm a big fan of Western movies. I absolutely Love em'. However this film is not exactly what I would calll a Western in the traditional sense. It's not like any Clint Eastwood or John Wayne effort. I would go as far as to say that if you want the sort of western which has plenty of gun fights, bar brawls, droll one-liners or hoards of Indians swarming down hillsides to fight the cavalry this film probably isn't for you. However if you have an interest in learning a bit about the history of Jesse James & witnessing some truly first-rate acting then this film will blow you away.
I don't feel the need to write a hugely detailed review. What I will say is that Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck & Sam Rockwell reallly do a first-class job acting-wise. I was especiallly surprised by Brad Pitt as the previous films I had seen him in had not reallly convinced me but I feel he reallly outdid himself with this film. Casey Affleck was truly fasinating as Robert Ford & he reallly had me feeling sorry for the man by the end of the film. I think the media & general public were hard on him. The settings are beautiful. The story & character development are gripping & interesting.
The film is long but does not detract from the story. I especiallly like the fact that the film was historicallly accurate & that the director took time at the end of the film to tell us about the fate of Charlie & Robert Ford.
Overalll an excellent addition to anyones DVD collection & certainly a film I will watch time & time again.
