Best Film

My lovely wife may not pick a single film but I will: The Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford. The film reminded me the reason I like Brad Pitt. Pitt's last several films have been entertaining but he has mostly walked through them. The subject matter and characters were light. The portrayal of Jesse James was thoughtful and quiet with a restrained force that was both the "character" and the actor. The whole film was quiet and that made the moments of violence just that much more horrifying and powerful. The direction was slow and that allowed the story to develop almost organically. Much has been said about Casey Affleck but not enough about Sam Rockwell. Rockwell's character keeps the movie on an even balance both in showing the unpredictability of J.James and the Ford brother respect and loyalty to him. There is a sadness to the portrayal that belies an actor as young as Rockwell. I suspect he will become one of those actors that will never quite get the acclaim they deserve. The look of the film was majestic with much of it shot through leaded windows. The scenes looked both realistic and painterly. The score was perhaps the most haunting score that I have heard in years. It keep in the flavor of the time while still being flowing and organic. I have not bought a soundtrack in years but I have this one.

ON A SIDE NOTE: I am happy to report that the book is as great as the film. The adaptation was spot on with dialog transferred directly. I only wished that I could have shared this with my father. W