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The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Play trailer Poster for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford R Released Sep 21, 2007 2h 40m Western History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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77% Tomatometer 175 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Infamous and unpredictable, Jesse James (Brad Pitt), nicknamed the fastest gun in the west, plans his next big heist while he launches pre-emptive strikes against those looking to collect the reward the law has placed on his head. Jesse's newest recruits, Robert (Casey Affleck) and Charley Ford (Sam Rockwell), grow increasingly jealous of the outlaw. When they sense an opportunity to kill Jesse, they gun him down, but their actions backfire when Jesse's fame is elevated to near mythical status.
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The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

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Critics Consensus

On the strength of its two lead performances Assassination is an expertly crafted period piece, and an insightful look at one of the enduring figures of American lore.

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Critics Reviews

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David Jenkins Time Out Pitt, toying with his death-wish like some private joke, is eminently watchable in a role with little developmental arc; while Affleck, as his unwitting nemesis, takes his own mysterious integrity right to the grave. Rated: 3/5 Feb 6, 2018 Full Review Nell Minow Movie Mom Rated: B Feb 14, 2012 Full Review Ben Kenigsberg Time Out Rated: 4/5 Nov 17, 2011 Full Review Gayle Sequeira Film Companion The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford plays out like an elegy to a fallen idol whose worshipper has decided it's time to dismantle the pedestal. Oct 6, 2022 Full Review James Croot The Post NZ Not only one of the finest westerns ever made, even a decade-and-a-half on The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a terrific example of the power of the art form itself. Rated: 5/5 Sep 28, 2022 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Perhaps the least western Western ever made - and that's not a good sort of singularity. Rated: 3/10 Nov 24, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Mate P The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a slow, but impactful film with perfect cinematography. The writing is simply just great with interesting characters. There are simply evil or good ones, but the protagonist and his allies are very complex and they have arcs. It's interesting that they decided to put the big spoiler in the title and I didn't understand why they did that until just now. I kept guessing why Bob Ford would do such a thing. It's a unique and interesting way to keep the audience intrigued and in front of the screen. The direction is great, the film is slow, but very impactful especially during the payoff moments. The cinematography might be the best I've ever seen, but it's at least in the top 5. The focus and lense choices are extremely unique. There was an amazing use of light including the sun and torches. There was also a use of time lapse which was refreshing too. On the other hand I don't know how I feel about the stolen Gladiator shot. The cast is also absolutely amazing. I only knew about Brad Pitt, so the others were a big surprise to me. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a cinematography masterclass. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/15/25 Full Review Matt C Beautifully filmed, scored and acted. Pitt and Affleck are excellent. The plot is given away by the title and the pacing drags in places. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/03/25 Full Review Fer S Good movie, great acting. Slow, but not in a boring way. It is needed. It is one of those movies where at times nothing is happening but at the same time everything is happening. Did not blow my mind though I must say. Cassey Affleck and Brad Pitt had really good performances. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/29/25 Full Review thiago s Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraca, o filme tem cenas fracas, a história é mais ou menos, o elenco é bacana, mas quase ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, e os personagens são mais ou menos. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/28/25 Full Review Audience Member Tough dark western packed with great actors portraying mostly unlikable characters. Casey Affleck was fantastic but his character was completely unlikable. Not a very fun movie but I still thought it was really well done. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/25 Full Review Chief B Absolute masterpiece and one of the best westerns altough it's not a conventional one. Brad Pitt is superb in this movie. I don't remember who won best actor but I think it was DDL for there will be blood which is a good choice but I have to say I wouldn't mind if Pitt would've won it. With Casey Affleck as best supporting actor. This is Pitt's best role ever for me. The score of the movie is masterful, the acting from every single actor and actress is great. The cinematography, the script are all perfect. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

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Movie Info

Synopsis Infamous and unpredictable, Jesse James (Brad Pitt), nicknamed the fastest gun in the west, plans his next big heist while he launches pre-emptive strikes against those looking to collect the reward the law has placed on his head. Jesse's newest recruits, Robert (Casey Affleck) and Charley Ford (Sam Rockwell), grow increasingly jealous of the outlaw. When they sense an opportunity to kill Jesse, they gun him down, but their actions backfire when Jesse's fame is elevated to near mythical status.
Director
Andrew Dominik
Producer
Ridley Scott, Jules Daly, Brad Pitt, David Valdes, Dede Gardner
Screenwriter
Andrew Dominik
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Production Co
Virtual Studios, Warner Bros., Scott Free Productions, Plan B Films, Jesse Films Inc.
Rating
R (Some Strong Violence|Brief Sexual References)
Genre
Western, History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 21, 2007, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA)
$3.9M
Runtime
2h 40m
Sound Mix
SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS
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