Hollywoods newest screen adaptation of the famous Jesse James legend has acheived the long overdue task of debunking the myths and legends of the supposed "Hero" Jesse James and the supposed "Coward" Robert Ford. At the hands of New Zelander director Andrew Dominik the tale is set in picturesque frontierland imagery(actually shot in Canada)and with plenty of screen time at over 150 minutes.

We first see the young Robert Ford early on in the film as an impressionably naive fan who is taken at the thought of riding alongside the famous Jesse James. Casey Affleck's Robert Ford is such an ideally intricate foil to Brad Pitts callous and disturbed Jesse James that the two are both worthy of Best actor nominations. We find as the picture progresses that James was in fact a man who seemed to distrust everyone around him and resort to shooting unarmed persons and even friends in the back. Pitts character disguises his insecurities and paranoia by scheming masterful robberies but he doesn't know when to quit when it comes to his demented sense of humor. In fact by the final act of the movie you feel as if Affleck's character is putting James out of his misery. So well is that point made that the last 20 or so minutes of the film feel like an extended P.S.

Despite the fact that this film could have moved along more briskly with some editing and some voice-over narraration, you sense that Dominik is searching to understand the wild west beyond its classic iconic terms. Through the use of breath taking cinematoghraphy he reaches beyond realm of outlaws and gunslingers with it's arty approach and it's moody score. Compared with Dominik's earlier film, Assassination this film is a more subdued, intricate and ultimately confident step forward.