Brad Pitt Spends Seven Years in Production

When director Andrew Dominik wrapped up his feature debut—the well-received Chopper in 2000—he could not have imagined that it would be another seven years before his work would reach the silver screen again. But it was worth the wait: his latest film, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, is a thought-provoking meditation on the cult of celebrity in America that is sure to quickly find its place among the great revisionist Westerns.

Serving double duty as both star and producer, Brad Pitt has never been more effective than he is here as the proto-celebrity Jesse James. Few people beyond Pitt could understand the combination of appreciation and revulsion that James feels toward hapless souls like Robert Ford who revere him as a god. From their first meeting, James, an astute judge of character, senses that the 19-year-old is not quite right in his head—but James also needs the hero worship. Without star-struck kids like Ford, James is just a rundown man carrying too many psychological wounds from years of crime. Ford’s sycophantic attention transforms James into a larger-than-life figure, a modern day Robin Hood, in contrast to James’ vision of himself as just another scumbag.

Casey Affleck nails the film’s showiest role as Ford, who is consumed by a combination of reverence for his hero and a growing disappointment that he might actually just be human. This film could be more accurately titled The Assassination of Robert Ford by Jesse James, because by the time the two meet, James is a suicidal mess eager to drag a 19-year-old kid along with him during his descent into hell. Even the eventual assassination plays out entirely on James’ terms—he surrenders himself to Ford, offering his life with full awareness of the emotional price Ford will pay for taking it.
The supporting cast is strong throughout, although I wished that Dominik had given the talented Mary Louise Parker more to do in the thankless role of James’ wife. Also, at over two and a half hours, the film feels about 20 minutes too long. I must confess that I noticed the reviewer next to me nod off a bit during the film’s somewhat bloated second act.

At the same time, as I am sure every critic across the country will remark, Jesse James looks beautiful, and is full of achingly crisp landscape shots. Like any true Western director, Dominik understands that nature is an effective canvas on which to paint the emotional states of his characters. So hats off to you, Andrew Dominik, and may it not be another seven years of reshoots and delayed releases before your next movie comes to a theater near me.