The Assassination of Jesse James
the western makes a comeback
2007-09-20
By Sergio Mims

CAST: Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Sam Rockwell, Jeremy Renner, Mary-Louise Parker, James Carville

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY:
Andrew Dominik

RATED R

****   FOUR  STARS
No doubt one of the best and most welcome developments this year in film is the reemergence of the western film. Joining the spring released Seraphim Falls and the excellent 3:10 To Yuma now is Brad Pitt’s new The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Based on Ron Hanson’s acclaimed 1983 novel, Jesse James is a deeply involving, poetic western epic. It transcends the basic western genre and becomes an elegaic, psychological drama about tortured emotions, inner struggles and conflicts.

Similar in mood and tone to the films of director Terrence Malick (Days of Heaven, The New World) Jesse James transcends the sprawling narrative by presenting itself as a film with a real plot and a classic structure --beginning, middle and end. Despite a running time of well over two and half hours, James is an intimate western because it opts not to employ big western techniques; there are no big shootouts or thundering herds across the prairie. Instead, it is a rather straightforward film about loyalty and betrayal, the contrasts between reality and legend, the end of an era set against a backdrop of bustling, open towns, deep green forests, golden wheat fields and bleak, desolate plains.

The film basically centers on the final year of the life of outlaw Jesse James (Pitt) and his rag tag gang of losers, among them an awestruck wanna-be outlaw Robert Ford (Affleck). After one final (and brutal) train robbery, James decides to put an end to his criminal career and settle down with his wife and family. However, due to his restless and suspicious nature, James can’t stay home for long and he sometimes wanders around, posing as a successful businessman while eliminating members of his gang who he thinks have betrayed him. One of the great things about the film is that for the first time James is portrayed realistically -- not as some backwoods Robin Hood, friend of the common man and the oppressed, but as he really was: a redneck paranoid psychopath.

To date, Brad Pitt has been a real mystery. With no distinctive character, personality or uniquely singular traits (as one wag said, when was the last time you saw a comedian do a Brad Pitt impersonation?) he has become a major movie star because of his looks and not much else. With this film, Pitt gives a riveting performance, without question the best one of his career to date. His Jesse James, with his sinister laugh and watchful eyes, is a complicated, calculating, cold blooded creation. As he senses treachery in every handshake and the long arm of the law closing in around him, his paranoid nature gives Pitt’s James a scary, edgy quality that keeps you rivited.

As James’ eventual betrayer and killer, Affleck is strangely compelling. Though at first his acting comes off as overly mannered with odd quirks and ticks, his performance grows in intensity and power. Slowly we begin to see a conflicted person torn by a strange obsession and vengeful envy desperately wanting to be seen as someone bigger than he really is.

The film is greatly enhanced by the stunning photography of British cinematographer Roger Deakins and assured direction of Australian director Andrew Dominik. Dominik, whose only previous film was the little seen gangster cult favorite Chopper (2000), shows vast and enormous improvement as a director and proves himself to be a major filmmaking talent.

The Assassination of Jesse James is a remarkable, beautiful and powerful film that stays in the memory long after the final credits. It’s without a doubt one of the most extraordinary achievements in films this year which deserves to be seen again and again.

Sergio Mims covers all things film from the city that works, Chicago.