Home > South Florida Movies > Movie Review > The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Not long after shy Robert Ford (Casey Affleck) joins legendary outlaw Jesse James' (Brad Pitt) gang in late 19th century Missouri, Ford's simultaneous adoration and fear of James leads him to plot the leader's murder. Sam Rockwell and Paul Schneider co-star.

Big question: Can this two-and-a-half hour Western feel fresher than "3:10 to Yuma"?

Catch it: It takes top-notch performances to keep us interested in a movie whose title gives away the ending, and "Assassination" is the film that will finally make people see Casey Affleck as more than Ben's little brother. Both quietly menacing, Affleck and Pitt craft a delicate and dangerous relationship between Ford and James, each person scarily unpredictable for very different reasons.

Skip it: If you were a member of an '80s rock band or '90s rap group. It may hit too close to home to hear that the James gang features only two original members, with the rest of the clan dead or in jail!

Bottom line: A long sit in a good way, "Assassination" breathes vibrant, murderous life into a Western that's a welcome change from the usual group of guys wandering across the desert. It's a little like a tumbleweed-instilled "The Talented Mr. Ripley," discussing the questionable fame bestowed on assassins to the volatility and popularity of celebrity criminals, whose death becomes as renowned as their life.

Bonus: These guys are full of juicy one-liners, but our favorites: "You can hide things in vocabulary" and "Poetry don't work on whores." No context needed!

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