20 Underrated Movies You Have To See
13. The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
It's surprising that this film has been so overlooked in recent years. Starring Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Sam Rockwell, Sam Shepard and Mary-Louise Parker, The Assassination of Jesse James is a tightly plotted and beautifully performed epic Western full of daring action, effective drama, and a firm grasp of the real life source material.
The film follows Robert Ford (Affleck) as he joins Jesse James' (Pitt) infamous outlaw gang. After he makes his way into the group, Ford begins to resent James due to his cruel nature and refusal to let him be a full fledged member of the gang.
Aside from being a well crafted piece of revisionist cinema, The Assassination of Jesse James is also a taught and compelling psychological drama about one man's decision to kill a man he once idolised. The film is quiet and a diligent slow-burner, anchored by brilliant performances from Pitt, Affleck, Renner and Rockwell, and is well worth a watch if you like a quick history lesson with your film.