The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

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The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

R

2007

2h 40m

Western

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

174 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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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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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

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Christopher Orr

The 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 meager consolations.

Sep 18, 2008

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Alonso Duralde

MSNBC

Jesse James is that rarest of birds -- an art film with mass appeal.

Rated: 5/5

May 1, 2008

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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

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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

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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

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To F

Me costo mucho terminar de verla. Es que fueron muy pocas las cosas que me atraparon. Es buena la historia pero como que le dan muchas vueltas al asunto. Solo el asesino y el asesinado son rescatables en cuanto a personajes.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/03/25

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Milox B

Quand j'ai su que ce film aurait inspiré le jeu "Red Dead Redemption II", je suis directement aller voir. Je suis pas du tout déçu.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/15/25

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James A

A must see western, one of the finest of the modern era. Brad Pitt kills as Jesse James, and Casey Affleck is an impressive surprise in a patient, subtle character piece that builds to a climax with gritty realism and honest storytelling.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/03/25

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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

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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

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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

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Andrew Dominik

Director

Brad Pitt

Jesse James

Casey Affleck

Robert Ford

Sam Shepard

Frank James

Mary-Louise Parker

Zee James

Sam Rockwell

Charley Ford

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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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