The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a two hour and forty minute talky Western that spoils the climax in its title. It's a very deliberately paced, contemplative film with only a few scenes of action. It's a film that has been "sitting on the shelf" for over a year. In short (a word this film is not familiar with in any way, as indicated by the title choice) it has everything going against it. So how on Earth did it turn out so spectacularly?

I'm not sure who we can thank for this cut of the film, as it's been rumored that the studio and director Andrew Dominik have been quarreling over the final cut for a year, but whoever it is, they did a fabulous job. They were able to create a film that doesn't make "long" synonymous with "slow." It's a film that plays out almost like a novel, complete with a narrator giving us inside details on the characters, life at the time, politics, and whatever else might set the mood. It's not the kind of film that is meant to entertain you in a surface way, instead trying to evoke certain feelings and emotions that will last long after you've left the theater. If that's the kind of experience you want to get from your movie-going adventures, then this movie is for you. If not, 3:10 to Yuma is an equally enjoyable Western that operates on the opposite spectrum of the genre.

One can't talk about this film without first noting its strongest asset: cinematography. You'd be hard-pressed to find better cinematography in a film this year, as DP Roger Deakins has crafted a sight to behold. Whether it be James wandering through a field, or people traversing through the snowy mountains, every shot is stunning. On top of that, these shots serve to set the mood. Many wide shots of James alone in big open spaces help to illustrate how lonely and shuttered off from the rest of the world he feels. Ford, on the other hand, seems often to be so tightly framed that he feels uncomfortable, like the world is pressing in around him, suffocating him. It's a visually spectacular film, almost reason enough to see it.

Thankfully, the visuals are not the only reason to see Assassination. Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck both give quite possibly their career best performances. Pitt is able to make James frightening and menacing, while also adding hints of sorrow and longing for another life. He's a conflicted man who ultimately receives our pity when the titular action occurs. Affleck, on the other hand, has created a role that should finally launch him out of his brother's shadow and into the forefront of Hollywood. His take on Robert Ford is truly a sight to behold. You may often find yourself asking what is this character thinking? His shifty eyes and cracking voice make you question him from the get go. What is he after, exactly? What are these big things he thinks he is destined for? To call him the film's villain would be misleading, as there isn't a villain per se. He is a man who is thrust into a world that he simply wasn't ready for, and as a result he did something that ruined his life and many others' forever. We grow to dislike him as we watch him, but the film's final twenty minutes attempt to pardon him, reminding us that he was only human. He sees the errs of his way, and is forced to live with that for the remainder of his life. It's surprisingly poetic.

This is a film that feels unfair to point out what is great, because everything is as good as it could possibly be. Yes, the writing, acting, directing, and cinematography are excellent - but so is the sound design, with such fine attention to details. So is the score, perhaps the year's best with its simple, melancholy piano cues. So is the art design. So are the costumes. You get my drift. There is no weak point to be found, assuming you are open to this sort of tale. It is a rewarding experience to those who like to be sucked in to a mood, to a story. Few movies can warrant a length much over two hours, but this is one of the few that I would have gladly sat through another hour had there been more to tell. Simply stunning all around.

3:10 to Yuma

Some people have been exclaiming that 3:10 to Yuma will be the film to revive the largely dormant Western genre. While I suspect it will take more than one movie to accomplish such a feat (where, for example, are all the pirate movies after the success of Pirates of the Caribbean?), 3:10 is certainly a monumental step in the right direction. Filled with searing action, crisp dialogue, and a number of pitch-perfect performances, this is the sort of film that transcends the Western genre and appeals to all fans of movies.

A remake of the 1957 original, 3:10 follows two seemingly different men who may have more in common than either would suspect. Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) is one of the most notorious outlaws in the west. Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is a weary rancher trying to support his family while facing a foreclosure on his land. The two meet by chance one day when Evans and his two boys stumble upon Wade and his men robbing a stagecoach. From that point on, it seems the two's lives are destined to be intertwined. Wade comes across Evans again in town later that day and ends up helping the lawmen capture Wade. Realizing he can make the money needed to save his land, he offers to help escort Wade to the town of Contention, where a train will be arriving in a few days time that will take Wade to be tried and hung in Yuma. It becomes a task easier said than done, as Wade's men are on their tail.

That the film is filled with crackling action is no surprise. There are many extended gun fights, great chase scenes, and an explosive climax. Like some of the greatest of Westerns, violence is a way of life in these men's lives. The way in which director James Mangold depicts the violence, however, is often quite shocking and unpredictable. I was at times reminded of Scorsese's The Departed in the way that you're never sure who will die or what will happen next. For example, the way in which a major character is so matter-of-factly killed off half way through the film without a second thought serves to remind us that this film doesn't play by the typical rules of most Hollywood films. No film I've seen this year kept me on the edge of my seat guessing what could happen next quite like 3:10 did.

What wasn't so expected about 3:10, and what serves to elevate it from a great action film to a great film, is the brilliant script and the performances that bring that script to life. The characters, especially Wade and Evans, have some very intelligent discussions about life and honor, right and wrong. Some people have criticized the end of the film as being a little too out of character for one of the leads, but I believe that if you listen to what the characters say throughout the film, it will make sense how the end plays out. It also helps that Crowe and Bale deliver some career high performances. Bale is his usual overly serious self, but with a hint of something more, perhaps desperation. This isn't just a man beat by life, but a man who knows he's been beaten by life and has realized that only some sort of miracle can save him. Crowe, on the other hand, seems to be having the time of his life. I've never been a big fan of Crowe for some reason, but here he is nothing short of genius. He is alternatively funny, scary, thoughtful, amused, and wounded. He's so interesting that we begin to wonder if we actually want Evans to get Wade to that train in the end. Supporting them are Peter Fonda as a grizzled old lawman who may be an even less decent human being than Wade, and Ben Foster as Wade's right hand man. Fonda is wonderful and mysterious, but it is relative newcomer Foster that really shines in the supporting cast. He is so frightening and menacing without ever going over-the-top that you begin to wonder why he isn't in charge of the band of criminals instead of Wade.

The Western has long been feared dead, but 3:10 reminds us why the genre was such an important part of film history. It has that rare ability to entertain us while delivering something more, something with weight. The final act is both smart in its dialogue about heroism and exciting in depicting two men who may both be heroes given the right situation. Director James Mangold is a man who had yet to impress me up to this point. His Identity was a fun thriller with an ending that betrayed all the film's built up suspense. Walk the Line was an example of why biopics are so dangerous, as he seemed to be on autopilot. Here he finally gets it right, and as a result he delivers one of the most exciting, thought-provoking, and downright fun pictures of the year.