You wanna be like me, or you wanna be me?

''Can't figure it out, you wanna be like me, or you wanna be me?''

A detailed account of the famous outlaw Jesse James and his relationship with Robert Ford.

Brad Pitt: Jesse James

Casey Affleck: Robert Ford

Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford is another masterpiece from the wonders that were film in 2007. Andrew Dominik directs and delivers a detailed, sombre screenplay while staying fairly faithful to Ron Hansen's novel roots regarding Jesse James.
No doubt in my mind the levels concerning detail, storytelling, and narration that weaves and equals an intricate study case regarding the characters Jesse James and Robert Ford.



To set an example opening for reviewing this montage; A memorable scene for me would be the scene at the dinner table. You really see the love Robert Ford has for Jesse James in the speech, the story he says for him, the glow in his eyes.
Beautifully played by Brad Pitt and the wonderful actor Casey Affleck.
Brad Pitt plays his role with relative ease, masterfully in control.
Casey Affleck's slurry words and way of speaking is perfectly executed and his loving, envy and looking up to, for his idol, Jesse is mesmerizing to behold.

I love the characters especially Jesse and Robert; How they're fleshed out, not only conflicting with each other but with their inner demons as well.
The greatest weakness the heart within, the mind an after thought. Reality is moulded to suit the desires and fears within them thus causing conflict and a level of friction between vice versa.
Original Music by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is haunting while chilling to a degree it freezes your spine in this age of violence and chaos. Cinematography by Roger Deakins subsequently also director of photography succeeds in bringing vast landscapes and quaint inside abodes to life. Purely vast in scope and pleasurably infinite in terms regarding magnitude and scale.
Complaints about the running time I've heard? Patience is a virtue and the time the film runs for is necessary to tell the story and flesh out this World and array of characters.
What shines most is that the film doesn't try to glorify its main character Jesse into a hero or anti-hero whichever you choose. Nor does it attempt to denounce Robert Ford as a coward thus making the title somewhat hypocritical and paradoxical.

This is a real life and tragedy that flows with haunting tones, this is not a typical Western, this is history and storytelling merging upon a meticulous adaptation.
Expect a tale of greatness, of vision and of precedence that surpasses every aspect it divulges us with.
This is the novel by Ron Hansen come to life upon the screen for audiences to be in awe of.
This is a detailed, slow paced masterpiece upon a gilded cage that resounds integrity and a moral compass of subjection.
Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford shows it's not the title or result that is the fascination...

It's the journey of the man and the characters involved that are...

''Jesse would look over at Bob with melancholy eyes as if the two were meshed in an intimate communication. Bob was certain that the man had unriddled him, had seen through his reasons for coming along, that Jesse could forecast each of Bob's possible moves and inclinations, and was only acting the innocent in order to lull Bob into stupid tranquility and miscalculation.''

10/10