Brad Pitt,
Casey Affleck,
Sam Shepard,
Mary-Louise Parker,
Paul Schneider
... see more 
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" delves into the private life and public exploits of America's most notorious outlaw. As the charismatic and unpredictable Jesse James (Brad... read more
DVD Release Date: February 5, 2008
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Stats: 14,482 reviews
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Flixster Reviews (14,482)
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August 25, 2010This had the unfortunate timing of coming out in the same year as both No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood, relegating it to "lesser arthouse" in the public conscious. And in a way, I do agree with that tag - but only partially. Really, most of The Assassination of Jes... read more
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August 1, 2010"I'm saying his sins will soon find him out. I'm saying his cup of iniquity is full. I'm saying Jesse James is a desperate case and may require a desperate remedy."
The Assassination of Jesse James is about as far from your usual shoot 'em up, bang bang, western yarn, as you can... read more -
July 11, 2010An anti-western that does not exalt it's infamous subject as countless other tales have done but does so from a sympathetic, humanistic vantage. Reminiscent in tonality of McCabe and Mrs. Miller with the style of a Terrence Malick film. It's a subtle, generous study of places and... read more
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March 8, 2010I enjoyed the violence and the dusty cowboy docu-film yet although the characters were very rigid the acting of Brad Pitt sort of put a dampener on watching overall. He has done and looks better in other movies.
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February 18, 2010This just might be the best of the modern "western resurgence" films (so far). Director Andrew Dominik is a frustrated painter and it shows in his beautifully lighted interiors and his vast landscapes. One could almost watch this film with the sound off and not lose interest.
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February 5, 2010The most underrated film of 2007, is certainly one of it's best. A sweeping western about the fine line between truth and fiction, a homage to The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. This film containes some of the most spectacular cinematography I have seen in years.
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January 2, 2010Everything about this film is pretentious: its length, its title, the length of its title...
My girlfriend analysed it as a sort of selfportrait by a creator who feels pulled down by his necessarily inferior surrounding. I was just too bored to analyse it, so I'll say I agree wi... read more -
October 1, 2009Its long, its slow in places but it?s very stylish and the last 20 minutes are fantastic. It makes up for sitting through endless inaudible dialogue and some mediocre acting. Affleck & Rockwell steal the show. All in all, I thought it was a very good film but not quite the 5 star... read more
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July 11, 2009This movie is long and slow moving but it is required to reveal the intensity of the characters. It's very dark and violent. Brad and Casey give excellent performances. Brad is the outlaw Jesse James in the latter years of his career. Casey is Robert Ford who admires and follows ... read more
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April 27, 2009As a rule, I'm not a big fan of "westerns".
But when they are more along the lines historical "period pieces" and made with as much passion and attention to detail as this film...what's not to love?
This was a very slow and methodic look at the last few months of the life o... read more
Critic Reviews
October 18, 2008
Bob Mondello, NPR.org
September 18, 2008
Christopher Orr, New Republic
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is the story...of the moment in America when myth was murdered by mere celebrity and we were left, perhaps forever, with only the latter's me... Full Review
January 4, 2008
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
Moseying along for 160 minutes, this revisionist western by writer-director Andrew Dominik makes a wan attempt to present the Jesse James legend as the dawn of celebrity culture in America. Full Review
October 20, 2007
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post
Awesome splendor and a striking essay on celebrity reward those who brave the 2 1/2-hour run time. Full Review
October 18, 2007
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
It's a view of the West beyond the myth that's worth enduring, if not relishing. Full Review
October 12, 2007
Tom Long, Detroit News
The one thing you're not supposed to do during a Western is doze off. Full Review
October 12, 2007
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
Assassination is contemplative and quiet, a studied film that is surprisingly engrossing, not to mention so handsomely made you can hardly take your eyes off it. Full Review
October 11, 2007
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
A better title might have been Jesse James in the Age of Pop Therapy. Full Review
October 5, 2007
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle
Who would have imagined that a biopic about Jesse James could be so boring? Full Review
October 5, 2007
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News
This is a 160-minute art Western, and if you're up for such a beast it is a glory to behold. It's gorgeous, but rarely for the sake of mere gorgeousness, and languorous, but never listless. Full Review
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