The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

(USA/Canada, 2007, 154 minutes)

In 1881, retiring outlaw Jesse James accepts a starstruck, awkward boy as a member of his gang, both of them unaware of the turns their relationship will take in the future. Mesmerizingly shot revisionist western that refuses the genre's usual trappings in favor of a distended, psychological approach of the characters, much like the 1970s experiences in its deconstruction; for those willing to step out on a limb, there are many rewards among its lengthy running time and understated performances.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Virtual Studios, a Scott Free Productions/Plan B Entertainment production, in co-production with Alberta Film Entertainment. Starring Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker, Paul Schneider, Jeremy Renner, Garret Dillahunt, Zooey Deschanel, Michael Parks, Ted Levine; and Sam Rockwell; narrator, Hugh Ross. Directed by Andrew Dominik; produced by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Ridley Scott, Jules Daly, David Valdes; screenplay by Andrew Dominik, based on the novel by Ron Hansen, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford; music by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis; director of photography (Technicolor, Arri widescreen), Roger Deakins; production and costume designer, Patricia Norris; film editors, Dylan Tichenor, Curtiss Clayton.