Small Explosions
posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is at times a struggle. It’s a little too long, a little too slow, and sometimes, a little too sparse. But if you can get over that, it’s pretty easy to find a dazzling film in there. Thoughtful, lusciously shot and supremely acted, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford isn’t an easy recommendation, but it gets it all the same. Legendary outlaw Jesse James is now 34 years old, and after a life of crime on the run, he has grown paranoid and depressed. He pulls one last train job with his brother and a group of misfit outlaws. One of these outlaws is young, insecure Robert Ford, who has long idolized Jesse. The film follows the events that eventually lead up to the famous assassination of Jesse James, and the consequences that followed for the people that were involved.
This is a true story, though there a lot of embellishments along the way. The film (and the book it was adapted from) tries to humanize the characters, giving them deeper histories and motivations. It’s a deconstruction of Jesse James, looking past his legendary veneer and finding the weaknesses in his psyche. Robert Ford is called “coward” in the title, but the film manages to go deeper than that, fully exploring what can bring a man to betray his idol.
As a consequence of delving into the minutiae of their characters, however, the film is really long, and it can drag at times. The film is contemplative almost to a fault, eschewing any sort of action in favor of introspection. The script takes a pretty unconventional route is developing its narrative, moving the story in small increments, choosing to wallow in the characters. There’s a palpable poetry to how this film tells its tale, a meter, a tone and a rhythm that doesn’t change all throughout. As a result, the storytelling can be pretty uncompromising, but it can also be pretty rewarding. There are a lot of brilliant moments just peppered in this film, although it takes a while to get there.
Stylistically, the film is gorgeous. A lot of thought went into the cinematography, and it shows. The filmmakers really took the time to make the most perfectly framed shots possible. The colors are muted, kept in simple tones, with only the striking blue eyes of the main characters really popping from the screen. The effect is pretty great, and for cinematography buffs, this film will work from start to finish.
I’ve sung my praises of Casey Affleck before, and the case is no different here. Affleck shows a thoughtful restraint in his acting. Brad Pitt has long proven his worth as an actor, and here, he is a real force to be reckoned with. As James, he is endlessly compelling, and his performance might be worth the price of admission. Between those two, this film is already an acting tour-de-force, but this film also features the talents of Sam Rockwell, who is often overlooked. Rockwell is one of the finest American actors today, and he is fantastic in this film as well.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford requires patience as long as its title. It isn’t always easy to sit through, especially for people who have come to expect fireworks in the cinema. But the craft is undeniable, and the story is certainly worth telling. If anything, the performances from this stellar cast elevate it from just being humdrum cinema, delivering tiny explosions in their own way. It deserves a chance, at the very least.
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