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| The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford * * * |
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| Written by Ivan Radford |
| Friday, 30 November 2007 00:00 |
 Director: Andrew DominikWhen Phillip Seymour Hoffman kicked the crap out of Tom Cruise in M:I:III, people rejoiced. Will the same occur with the climactic demise of Brad Pitt’s outlaw? Probably not. The reason is simple: The Assassination of Jesse James is as good as its title is long. A Western charting the fluctuating relationship between Jesse (Pitt) and his biggest fan, Robert Ford (Affleck), its star is haunted by reputation, dogged by paranoia and chased by the authorities. Beginning to fear betrayal, Jesse turns upon his gang, hunting them down one by one. Brutal, psychotic and ever-alert, his flaws only serve to make him more human. By contrast, Affleck is eerily obsessed with the celebrity. Memorising every known detail of Jesse’s life, the obsequious Ford is at once equally pitiable and disturbing – somewhat reminiscent of Capote's quiet, intelligent Perry. Rebuked and mocked by those around him, his love soon turns into loathing. At this point, he is approached by the authorities to do the indecent, setting in motion the inevitable destiny of the two now legendary characters. Poetically shot by Dominik, the passing of time is a pleasure to watch. Engrossed in the acting and ensnared by the senses, the main obstacle for the audience is the screenplay; a tad overlong, the epilogue meanders aimlessly, unsure of where to conclude. A chance to see Sam Rockwell shine further, though, is a fair compensation – his talented turn provides the necessary third wheel for this lopsided carriage to cross the finish line. But far worse than this crime is the voiceover. Insistent upon detailing Jesse’s every last action and thought, it verges from the suitably moody and fatalistic to the absurdly irritating. Jesse pondered his life and what it meant. He sat down. Jesse looked out the window. It’s like watching an episode of Big Brother. VERDICT Languorous and lyrical, The Assassination of Jesse James is sometimes too eager to loll about in its own laziness. Questionably long, but this ballad is undeniably beautiful. |
