Movie: The Assassination of Jesse James by The Coward Robert Ford

||Release_Me||

I searched but couldn't find a relevant thread...

I watched this in bed late last night and i still don't quite know what to say other than that it is an incredible piece of filmmaking. From their very first scene together, Affleck and James create this very subtle sense of tension and dread, and it just builds and builds slowly throughout the film.

I don't know how they pulled it off, but there's almost a sense that Jesse talks to Robert knowing the whole time that there's only one way this will end, and that's with his murder. It gives off a very strange feeling whenever they're sharing a scene.

The murder scene itself had my heart racing, and it wasn't even done at a fast, exciting pace. But seeing Jesse watch his daughter from the window and realise that he's about to die was just heartbreaking. Affleck's reactions the whole time were just eerie.

I can't say enough about the two performances; Affleck and Pitt are outstanding. I really didn't think i'd like a 3-hr film that built so slowly, but it just captivated me. Amazing!

suns rival

i think it's a very boring movie.

pearljamjen

It is out already??

haffajappa

i have a tough time with this one, explaining it to renters at the movie store i work at.
they ask me if its good, and i know that 95% of them won't appreciate it... so i just tell them to rent 3:10 to Yuma.

ZiggyStar

I was a bit "ho-hum" about seeing this at the movies. We hadn't been for 2 months or so and this was the only decent thing playing.

Loved it! Well....didn't love it --- liked it a lot -- but more than a lot -- it's weird -- so hard to describe. You're right, it was eerie....I really can't explain it. I can absolutely see how people could say it's boring -- but I was captivated too.

I thought the acting was fantastic. Casey Affleck was great. Pitt was good too. If you break it down into parts I can't say it's great -- and even as I was watching it, I was undecided -- but when I walked away, the movie as a whole just "got me" somehow...but I'm not sure what "got me"-- but it did.

acoustic guy

ZiggyStar wrote:

I was a bit "ho-hum" about seeing this at the movies. We hadn't been for 2 months or so and this was the only decent thing playing.

Loved it! Well....didn't love it --- liked it a lot -- but more than a lot -- it's weird -- so hard to describe. You're right, it was eerie....I really can't explain it. I can absolutely see how people could say it's boring -- but I was captivated too.

I thought the acting was fantastic. Casey Affleck was great. Pitt was good too. If you break it down into parts I can't say it's great -- and even as I was watching it, I was undecided -- but when I walked away, the movie as a whole just "got me" somehow...but I'm not sure what "got me"-- but it did.

Funny, I thought the same thing. How do ya describe it?
I enjoyed it a lot. Its a well made film. People who are into action packed movies will not enjoy this theatrical piece.

Like the OP said, the build up was great.

EddiesGirl4Ever

thats bad ass i have been totally wanting to see that movie and now i want to see it even more

El_Kabong

HAS SPOILERS

i saw this last night and thought it was amazing! the time didn't seem a problem, tho i think it was closer to 2 1/2hrs than 3 but who knows...we watched bringing out the dead a night or 2 before and while it wasn't as long my g/f about it being too long


anyway, for this movie, i thought it was amazing! i thought it was shot really well and just a great production and as the op mentioned the build up and tension between the 2 main characters was amazing, even w/ charley ford (sam rockwell)

i think he knew they were gonna kill him...the scene where he asks charley if he ever thought about killing himself then the way he gave the gun to robert and said he was becoming a problem even to himself lately...then the half-assed 'i better take my gun belts off for fear of the neighbors...'

i thought it was a great film all the way around

Cree Nations

I really liked this movie. The acting was superb all around and the story of Mr. James life is not one you typically hear.
Great Flick

THC

I agree w/ almost everyone. Very fine film, mainly cause it makes you think about so much. what i enjoyed was the period nature of it. and i think that is why it was slow like that. because living back then was slow. and killing people and dying and stuff like that wasn't glorious w/ explosions etc. it was real.
I wish they elaborated more on this part. but it was my guess that, at that time in Jesse's life, he knew he was done, and soon. I think he kind of chose the way he wanted to go out. and i think all along he knew he couldn't trust casey afleck's character....and he wanted to leave him w/ guilt on his way out. i thought the best part was actually after the assasination and how interesting it was the way things transpired. crazy how he became more recognizable that one year then the president...and how his james' body was shown around. So facinating to me. it was like the end of an era...

*that being said...it was a tad slow at times

beachdweller

||Release_Me|| wrote:

I searched but couldn't find a relevant thread...

I watched this in bed late last night and i still don't quite know what to say other than that it is an incredible piece of filmmaking. From their very first scene together, Affleck and James create this very subtle sense of tension and dread, and it just builds and builds slowly throughout the film.

I don't know how they pulled it off, but there's almost a sense that Jesse talks to Robert knowing the whole time that there's only one way this will end, and that's with his murder. It gives off a very strange feeling whenever they're sharing a scene.

The murder scene itself had my heart racing, and it wasn't even done at a fast, exciting pace. But seeing Jesse watch his daughter from the window and realise that he's about to die was just heartbreaking. Affleck's reactions the whole time were just eerie.

I can't say enough about the two performances; Affleck and Pitt are outstanding. I really didn't think i'd like a 3-hr film that built so slowly, but it just captivated me. Amazing!

heard a lot of good things about it, and most my friends said it was even better than the attention it has gotten, which again was still positive.

MasterFramer

I haven't seen it yet but saw that it was on xbox live for rent... looks like an "art" film... might check it out this weekend. I don't think I have seen anything that Brad Pitt was in that I didn't like... and I think Casey is a better actor than his brother.

haffajappa

MasterFramer wrote:

I haven't seen it yet but saw that it was on xbox live for rent... looks like an "art" film... might check it out this weekend. I don't think I have seen anything that Brad Pitt was in that I didn't like... and I think Casey is a better actor than his brother.

yah i'm not a big ben affleck fan, but casey was amazing in this and i've been meaning to see gone baby gone too, which i've heard was amazing.

MasterFramer

doin'the-evolution wrote:

yah i'm not a big ben affleck fan, but casey was amazing in this and i've been meaning to see gone baby gone too, which i've heard was amazing.

It was decent, I wouldn't say amazing... Good effort for Ben as director though. Michael Clayton is better, saw them back to back one night in the theater

Cree Nations

"that dirty rotten coward who shot Mr. Howard"

haffajappa

MasterFramer wrote:

It was decent, I wouldn't say amazing... Good effort for Ben as director though. Michael Clayton is better, saw them back to back one night in the theater

yah i've heard michael clayton is great, its' been renting lots at the shop.
i didn thave time to watch any of the new movies last weekend.

the wolf

doin'the-evolution wrote:

yah i've heard michael clayton is great, its' been renting lots at the shop.
i didn thave time to watch any of the new movies last weekend.

my GF and i watched Michael Clayton the other night, and i must say, i was disapointed. at the end i just looked at my girl and shook my head. not what i was expecting at all.

cant wait to see the James movie though.