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

Released Sep 21, 2007

2h 40m

Western

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

175 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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Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: B

Feb 14, 2012

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Ben Kenigsberg

Time Out

Rated: 4/5

Nov 17, 2011

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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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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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thiago s

Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraca, o filme tem cenas fracas, a história é mais ou menos, o elenco é bacana, mas quase ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, e os personagens são mais ou menos.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/28/25

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Audience Member

Tough dark western packed with great actors portraying mostly unlikable characters. Casey Affleck was fantastic but his character was completely unlikable. Not a very fun movie but I still thought it was really well done.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/26/25

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Chief B

Absolute masterpiece and one of the best westerns altough it's not a conventional one. Brad Pitt is superb in this movie. I don't remember who won best actor but I think it was DDL for there will be blood which is a good choice but I have to say I wouldn't mind if Pitt would've won it. With Casey Affleck as best supporting actor. This is Pitt's best role ever for me. The score of the movie is masterful, the acting from every single actor and actress is great. The cinematography, the script are all perfect.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/23/25

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Audience Member

If you think this is going to be a great period action film , don't watch it. Slow paced and monotonous. The plot is boring due to the fact that this film shows how Jesse James mistrusted his comrades. The props of this film are ridiculous. When a gun fires , you can feel the actors hand trying to fake recoil. Sam Rockwell is great in it.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

Full Review

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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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