The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker, Paul Schneider ... see more see more... , Jeremy Renner , Zooey Deschanel , Sam Rockwell , Garret Dillahunt , Brooklyn Proulx , Dustin Bollinger , Joel McNichol , James DeFelice , J.C. Roberts , Darrell Orydzuk , Jonathan Erich Drachenberg , Torben S. Hansen , Alison Elliott , Lauren Calvert , Kailin See , Tom Aldredge , Jesse Frechette , Pat Healy , Michael Parks , Ted Levine , Joel Duncan , James Carville , Stephanie Wahlstrom , Adam Arlukiewicz , Ian Ferrier , Michael Rogers , Calvin Bliid , Sarah Lind , Nick Cave , Matthew Walker , Michael Copeman , Laryssa Yanchak , Hugh Ross , Barbara Kozicki , Robert Duvall , Molly Parker

Brad Pitt stars as legendary Wild West outlaw Jesse James in Chopper director Andrew Dominik's cinematic rendering of the events that would eventually bring about the death of the man rumored be the "... read more read more...fastest gun in the West." An eager recruit into James' notorious gang, Robert Ford eventually grows jealous of the famed outlaw. When Robert and his brother Charlie sense an opportunity to kill James, their murderous action elevates their target to near mythical status. Casey Affleck stars as Robert Ford and Sam Shepard co-stars as Frank James -- Jesse's devoted sibling and partner in crime. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

73% liked it

90,080 ratings

Critics

75% liked it

167 critics

R, 2 hr. 39 min.

Directed by: Andrew Dominik

Release Date: October 5, 2007

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: February 5, 2008

Get It:

Stats: 14,982 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Brad Pitt the assassination of jesse james movie premiere Charley Ford deauville film festival 2007 the assassination of jesse james movie premiere 64th annual venice film festival the assassination of jesse james movie premiere 64th annual venice film festival The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford toronto international film festival 2007 the assassination of jesse james movie premiere toronto international film festival 2007 The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Brad Pitt The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford L'Assassinat de Jesse James par le lâche Robert Ford (2007) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Upload a Photo | View All The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (14,982)

  • fb1576983399
    April 5, 2012
    fb1576983399
    The build up in this movie is necessary, but disappointing. There is a lot of fluff in the beginning of this film, but when it hits its stride it becomes great. The climax of this movie is unforgettable and Casey Affleck's performance is terrific. These two aspects elevate this m... read moreovie to another level.
  • Nathang110
    January 6, 2012
    Nathang110
    Who was truly notorious, Jesse James or Robert Ford? A visceral experience that has a completely different feel than any other Western. Brad Pitt excells as Jesse James, but Casey Affleck is whom really shines. The whole film is art, and a thinking movie-goer will enjoy.
  • fb619846742
    December 1, 2011
    fb619846742
    A handsomly constructed though very flawed slow-paced Western concerning the adventures of Jesse James, as well as his awkward relationship with Robert Ford (Casey Affleck), a consistently tormented young man who idolized James as a child. This movie is quite frustrating, due to ... read moreits running time (there is no good reason to have this thing clock in at nearly three hours. None), and its rather incoherence plot-wise throughout. However, it is very realistically acted, particularly Pitt and Affleck, who are both tremendous, and the last half hour of the movie are irrefutably powerful. While director Andrew Dominik certainly gets self-indulgent, he correctly romanticizes Robert Ford to the point where you truly feel sorry for him, an incredibly difficult task when one attaches the word "coward" next to his name. A pretty good film, but one badly in need of an editor to trim the fat and unnecessary conversations.
  • sanjurosamurai
    November 25, 2011
    sanjurosamurai
    this was a good flick to watch, but it had some problems. positively, brad pitts performance was top notch and the film was interesting. it had more of a documentary feel than a movie feel but it didnt detract too much. negitively this story was told very unclearly. much was ... read morebarely eluded to with little or no explination, even things that seemed important. in nearly three hours you would think that they could have given a fuller picture of some things. in the end i would recommend this film, especially to anyone interested in jesse james, it wasnt as great as it could have been but it was very good. the cinematography may be the best of the year.
  • clintervin
    November 14, 2011
    clintervin
    Beautifully shot in western Canada, The Assassination of Jesse James is a portrait of mental anguish, obsession, and mistrust. Ultimately who won or lost and who got what they wanted or deserved could be debated, but that these questions are even asked demonstrates the genius of... read more this story. As many have stated, this is not really a western but a psychoanalytical character study.

    The direction, cinematography, and cast are all excellent. Casey Affleck plays Robert Ford, yearning, coveting, and in his own words, "destined for great things." Brad Pitt plays James, and he's terribly underrated as an actor. He's suspicious, manipulative, and above-all, larger than life. The rest of the cast, Jeremy Renner, Mary-Louise Parker, and others are similarly impressive. I loved the narration carrying the story, often intrusive in other films. The palpable paranoia and bleak cinematography set this film apart from others; it really is an achievement. Jesse James is intense though slow moving. Its not for the short attention span crowd.
  • stevenecarrier
    August 20, 2011
    stevenecarrier
    Don't be fooled by the title and the presence of Jesse James because "The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford" is not really about him. The backdrop, or macro-narrative, may be about Jesse James and his legacy, but the true heart of this film, it's provocative ... read moremicro-narrative, is that of homosexuality in the 1880s. I think it's abundantly clear that Robert Ford's hero-worshiping of James is much more. Ford's lust for James drags him into the darkest places because, back then, sex between them was never, ever an option. Jesse James was certainly not gay, don't get me wrong; but Ford absolutely is (at least in this fictional portrayal). This is obviously much to large of a topic to get into here, but I assure you, this film is clearly about repressed homosexuality. On the surface, the film is beautiful to look at with breathtaking cinematography, steady direction and some incredible performances. Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck understand the delicate and hypnotic dance James and Ford are acting out. What they can convey to each other with just a look is, at times, staggering. This is a epic story of power, fame, unrequited love and ultimately death. "The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford" is a western on the surface, but much like Robert Altman's "McCabe & Mrs. Miller," it's merely the shell for a much larger, much more complex story.
  • ironclad1609
    June 27, 2011
    ironclad1609
    This calm, almost hypnotic Western ballad isn't exactly bursting with gunfights, horse chases or other things you may expect from the genre. The cast is well picked, delivering outstanding performances all around. There is an atmosphere of constant threat and subtle hostility bet... read moreween the characters, you always expect anyone to burst into drawing his gun any minute. Especially Pitt creates an extremely charismatic Jesse James, but Casey Affleck brings coward Robert Ford to live really convincingly too. The narrator and slow story-telling make this a movie you have to dig your nails into, but it's so rewarding, even touching in the end. The cinematography delivers some of the most beautiful images ever put on film. An odd, strangely mesmerizing film that requires some work, but belongs to the gems of the genre.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    December 21, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford is one of the best Western films since Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven. Directed by Andrew Dominik, director of Chopper, The Assassination Of Jesse James is is an emotional portrait of one of America's most famous outlaws. Th... read moree film is not tense or loud like the Spaghetti Westerns of old, instead Dominik tells a melancholic style story with mysterious overtones. Mysterious because the murder of Jesse James has always been shrouded in mystery, intrigue and debate. Brad Pitt plays Jesse James with vigor and intensity and it's one of his best roles since Tyler Durden in Fight Club. The film is fairly slow as the film examines more the man behind the legend during the last few years of his life before his murder at the hands of James Gang member, Robert Ford. The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford is a fine film that achieves a sense of the classic Spaghetti Western epics of old, but departs from the classic films to create something unique and interesting in the process. The film film is a well made Western, and in my opinion its much better that 3:10 To Yuma. The film is based on fact and provides the viewer with an interesting look at James. Andrew Dominik has made a worthy Western that probably even Sergio Leone would approve of. Dominik's direction is flawless and Pitt's portrayal of Jesse James is equally flawless. However the length of the film is too long, and it could have been shortened quite a bit, however it's a must see for Wester Aficionado.
  • dreamfaeries
    September 23, 2010
    dreamfaeries
    I really only watched to see Zooey, but it turned out to be an okay movie. Can't believe I had to get through the whole movie before I could she her though. Geez...
  • ceWEBrity
    August 25, 2010
    ceWEBrity
    This had the unfortunate timing of coming out in the same year as both No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood, relegating it to "lesser arthouse" in the public conscious. And in a way, I do agree with that tag - but only partially. Really, most of The Assassination of Jes... read morese James is lovely. The music, deep and droning, works in hypnotic tandem with Robert Elswit's light-suffused cinematography. He seems to find beauty in every landscape, forest and backyard he shoots in. Andrew Dominik, as you've probably read, is most influenced by Malick here, in his visual prioritization of nature over his human subjects. Where he could have stood to take a page out of his book is infusing his work with a little more subtlety. The movie has a provocative, unique central thesis to work with - the creation of celebrity in the Western era and how it influenced our current perception of celebrity now - but toward the end, as if it has lost confidence, it starts hitting its points harder and harder and with not much grace. I don't necessarily have a problem with the length or pacing, as most seem to, but the movie definitely loses a great deal of push after its titular act and railroads toward a thematically predictable conclusion.

    I wasn't huge on the lead performances - Casey Affleck seems more content to go with semi-stupid than naive, as a basic reading of the character might have suggested (one character in the movie goes so far as to call him smart, which: hell naw). Brad Pitt is mostly cardboard and generally not the first person I'd notice in any given scene. It's an interesting treatment of the character, as a shadow lurking in the corners of the room, quietly observing and only peeking out to interact sometimes, but Pitt to me isn't an actor who's particularly great at introspection so much as loud, boisterous voice work and physicality. His two best turns, in Burn after Reading and Inglourious Basterds, are consequently two of his most colorful. Their support is uniformly great - Sam Rockwell more or less steals the show.

    At the end of the day, this didn't at all deserve its failure. It's wonderful work, endearing and rich though not completely perfect. I wish Dominik was a more prolific director, because I think he exhibits some great versatility as a filmmaker and it would be exciting to see him work more often. You can't rush art, I guess.

View All The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Reviews

Critic Reviews

Bob Mondello
October 18, 2008
Bob Mondello, NPR.org

Writer-director Andrew Dominik takes his time with the story, but his languorous pacing allows tension to build -- and permits the actors, Affleck in particular, to add nuance and depth to characters ... Full Review

Christopher Orr
September 18, 2008
Christopher Orr, New Republic

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is the story...of the moment in America when myth was murdered by mere celebrity and we were left, perhaps forever, with only the latter's me... Full Review

J. R. Jones
January 4, 2008
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

Moseying along for 160 minutes, this revisionist western by writer-director Andrew Dominik makes a wan attempt to present the Jesse James legend as the dawn of celebrity culture in America. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
October 20, 2007
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

Awesome splendor and a striking essay on celebrity reward those who brave the 2 1/2-hour run time. Full Review

Roger Moore
October 18, 2007
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

It's a view of the West beyond the myth that's worth enduring, if not relishing. Full Review

Tom Long
October 12, 2007
Tom Long, Detroit News

The one thing you're not supposed to do during a Western is doze off. Full Review

Terry Lawson
October 12, 2007
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

Assassination is contemplative and quiet, a studied film that is surprisingly engrossing, not to mention so handsomely made you can hardly take your eyes off it. Full Review

Jeff Strickler
October 11, 2007
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune

A better title might have been Jesse James in the Age of Pop Therapy. Full Review

Peter Hartlaub
October 5, 2007
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle

Who would have imagined that a biopic about Jesse James could be so boring? Full Review

Chris Vognar
October 5, 2007
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News

This is a 160-minute art Western, and if you're up for such a beast it is a glory to behold. It's gorgeous, but rarely for the sake of mere gorgeousness, and languorous, but never listless. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
    Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (99%)
  • I Shot Jesse James
    I Shot Jesse James (98%)
  • Public Enemies
    Public Enemies (100%)
  • Badlands
    Badlands (64%)

More Movies like The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Jesse James: It seems to me if you have something to confess, you outta be right and you spit it out now.
    • Charley Ford: You think it's all made up don't yea, think it's all yarns and newspaper stories.
    • Robert Ford: He's just a human being.
    • Robert Ford: I've been a nobody all my life, and I won't give it this one opportunity and you can bet your life on that you just go on.
    • Jesse James: You're giving me signs, to make me wonder maybe you're minds been changed about me.
    • Dick Liddil: No, poetry doesn't work with whores.
    • Robert Ford: That'll be a good joke, if it was funny.
Submit a Fact | View All

The Assassination... : Watch Free on TV

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Trivia

The Assassination of Jesse James ... Trivia

  • Which of these films has Naomi Watts NOT starred in?  Answer »
  • Whose singing irritates drunk Robert Ford (Casey Affleck) at the end of "The assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"?  Answer »
  • Complete the title of the film: The -- of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford.   Answer »
  • Which actor starred in Fight Club Troy Legends of the fall Se7en Oceans Thirteen and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford ?  Answer »
More The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

SilentScreamer Skin by SilentScreamer
412 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins