The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Graded)

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford delves into the private life & public exploits of America's most notorious outlaw. As the charismatic & unpredictable Jesse James plans his next great robbery, he wages war on his enemies, who are trying to collect the reward money – & glory – riding on his capture. But the greatest threat to his life may ultimately come from those he trusts the most. Not your average Western & edited more times than most films, this gunslinging epic tells the tale of & the notorious outlaw Jesse James & the spineless, hero-worshipping "pal" Robert Ford who wants to be like him so much that he kills him.

This film has been sitting in the can for close to a year because of its tone and a three-hour running time, which caused several people to begin making edits, including Pitt. Some wanted a Clint Eastwood-style actioner while others were looking to make a dark, contemplative examination of fame & infamy which I hope it chose. In addition, test screenings reportedly fared poorly but since when do major movie goers know what's good from bad? Dukes of Hazard anyone?. Anyhow with its release date approaching, Warner Bros. Pictures has stated that the new film is "true to the source material (novel by Ron Hansen) and in keeping with the creative vision of its filmmakers." God I hope so.

Grade: A +
Trailer HERE
Teaser HERE