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The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Play trailer Poster for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford R Released Sep 21, 2007 2h 40m Western History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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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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The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review Nell Minow Movie Mom Rated: B Feb 14, 2012 Full Review Ben Kenigsberg Time Out Rated: 4/5 Nov 17, 2011 Full Review 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 Full Review James Croot Stuff.co.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 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member When I first saw this film many years ago I didn't enjoy it. However the second time I watch it and after studying film studies at school I grew appreciation for this film. The music, cinematography, acting and the narrative is by far the best I've ever seen in a film. The storyline after watching is also very good having been based on ture historical events of the wild west. Even so much so, that it has become iconic in Red Dead Redemption 2 for one particular scene in the film. I'd have to say this is top of my film list for the best films I have ever watched. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/18/24 Full Review Faiz D Beautifully shot, well-acted and great music. 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford' is a visceral experience that has a completely different feel than any other Western. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/29/24 Full Review T D Casey Affleck is dreadful. I have heard people say he is great. Those people probably liked Sean Penn in 'I am Sam'. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/14/24 Full Review Thomas D Not a great movie but everyone should watch it at least once Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/29/24 Full Review Jesus Pablo S Adsolute Masterpiece. Different. Everything is perfect, the story, how it is told, the actors, the photography... Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/29/24 Full Review Dinos K Brad Pitt was very good, Casey Affleck was just himself Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/17/24 Full Review Read all reviews
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

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Movie Info

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
Scott Free Productions, Warner Bros., Virtual Studios, 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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