The Prolonged Death of Jesse James

On Thursday night I had my first ever experience with the Saratoga Film Forum. It was definitely unlike anything I had ever tried before, and while it freaked me out a little, I’ll be going back again this week to screen the Bob Dylan film, I’m Not There.

At six bucks a pop for nonmembers the Film Forum is a good deal, but the setup doesn’t exactly cater to the youth of Saratoga. I was easily the youngest person in an audience where the average age was about 48. It’s good to have an outlet for these types of films that don’t get played in Wilton, but the Forum should do a better job advertising to encourage a more diverse crowd. I mean a bunch of old white people in a room is great and all, but some flyers around town and at the high school would be a good idea.

A little dinner at Bailey’s, and then an artsy intellectual flick is a solid and cheap date for any youngster looking for romance. But, there’s always the chance you catch a movie like The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, and your date is looking for the exits one hour in and you’re on your way to no kiss, no hug, and no second date.

Yes, it is a beautiful movie, but oh my god is it boring at points. I understand that every movie isn’t just wham bam thank you ma’am, and it’s possible that this movie just flew right over my head, but I’m pretty smart for a dumb person and I just didn’t get this movie. I’m not alone in my opinion of this film, which was met with high regard by some, and disdain by others.

If Assassination was supposed to speak to modern themes of a celebrity culture, than it was speaking in another language. Because the movie doesn’t really speak to the hype of Jesse James (Brad Pitt) and the air of excitement around him, so much as it deals with one person’s obsession. If Robert Ford (Casey Affleck), and his infatuation with James is supposed to touch on society’s obsession with celebrities, than the movie fails because Ford just comes across as an aberration, and not the norm. Ford is a just boy that becomes disillusioned with his idol, and kills him because of his own broken fantasies.

Affleck has received praise for his performance, along with a Golden Globe nomination, but I think it’s the performance of Sam Rockwell, as Charley Ford, which is worthy of accolades. While Affleck simply portrays a brooding child, Rockwell’s Charley is a deep and unnerving character that steals almost every scene. Even with Brad Pitt, Rockwell’s performance helps you understand Jesse James, and why he is feared, loved, and misunderstood.

The secondary characters carry this film, and a cameo by Sam Shepard is especially compelling. I’m not really sure why Mary Louis Parker signed on for less than ten lines of dialogue as the wife of Jesse James, except that maybe she had misguided hopes of accepting some award as part of an ensemble cast. This movie is definitely pretty enough, and parts of the movie are strong and enjoyable, but these factors don’t outweigh the pace and style, which make this movie a disappointment.

If Assassination was tightened up it would have more mainstream appeal, but as it is at 160 minutes it appears that the director never intended to sacrifice his vision for a big payday at the box office. Maybe this movie never would have had an audience regardless, what with the failure of such films as 3:10 to Yuma, which would indicate that there’s no audience for any kind of Westerns.