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• What Must Be Done. — for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
  Written by sati on 02.04.2010

  I don't like westerns, I don't like outlaws stories. I don't in particular love Pitt, but you gotta hand it over to the guy - except for Troy he didn't make one truly terrible movie. And I could try. I could try to summarize to you, dear reader, all the reasons for which this is one of the best movies I've seen. I could try to find words, accurate enough to describe how beautiful the soundtrack and the closing track of it 'Song for Bob' are and why I'm promptly going to update my list of best soundtracks ever made.

  But I think in both cases, I'd fail. This movie feels so complete and so perfect, that I dread the note I'd give to the unreleased Director's Cut, which is 240 minutes long. The acting by Academy Award nominated Casey Affleck, Brad Pitt, Sam Rockwell and Paul Shneider is outstanding. Everyone is so good, even Zooey Deschanel who appears briefly near the end of the movie.

  This movie is very similar in tone and style to two films I passionately hate 'No Country for Old Men' and 'There Will be Blood'. Now how come I hated those and loved this? Because "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" has something they don't - character development - almost every character has some unique traits, there is a bond with the viewer - the narrator and tiny scenes show us very personal details about those people we are watching. And that is the key to success - the movie is very long, 160 minutes, but because of that character development the scenes where Jesse is trying to figure whether or not his associates are lying to him are so powerful - we care for both sides of the conflict.

  The shootout scenes are amazing - there are not many of those, but they look so incredibly real and are filled with so many surprises and so much anticipation I was amazed.
  The title scene is hands down, one of the best scenes in the cinema history and I will fight every person who denies that I saw it 3 times in the row and I still cannot believe how perfect it is.

  The music by always unbelievably great Nick Cave and Warren Ellis and the cinematography give the film haunting, magical quality. This is one of the best films ever made. It is not supposed to be re-watched many times, like entertaining, quotable movies. But if you see it once, if you focus well enough you will have a feeling that you are watching the masterpiece. And you truly are.

• Modern masterpiece — for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
  Written by cosmobrown on 03.06.2009

  Hypnotic. Poetic. Elegiac. Beautiful. Moving. All adjectives that can be used to describe The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Andrew Dominick's follow up to 2000's excellent Chopper. Criminally overlooked in all categories at this years Oscars, this film is so good on so many levels. Firstly, the acting. Two of the greatest performances you are likely to see, from Brad Pitt as the outlaw Jesse James and from Casy Affleck as the coward Robert Ford, stepping out of his brother Ben's shadow to firmly establish his own mark. Add to that great writing and direction from Dominick, stunning cinematography from the Coen's regular cinematographer Roger Deakins (honestly, every frame of this film could be in an art gallery, it's that beautiful), and so much more that deserves all the credit in the world. The slow pace and long running time may detract some from giving this film a go, but I urge you not to be put off by these factors. A stunning and beautiful film, in every way, about the dangers of obsession and celebrity (hmm, wonder what attracted Brad Pitt to this film?). So good

• was the movie made for the music? — for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
  Written by farfromrefuge on 03.06.2009

  I wanted to write that review because i heard a lot people telling me that they tried to enter in that movie but that it was too slow and they had to stop.
  Yeah this movie is slow but you have to give it time, to immerse yourself in the atmosphere.

  It s beautiful movie, incredibly well written and edited. It s full of emotions and really show some hidden, and hopefully true, facts of Jesse James' life.

  One last thing very very important to me is the music. It almost like the movie was edited to fit the music and not the other way around. It is not that often that the music takes such a part in the movie, and that gives me the thrill!