What differentiates a novel from a film, outside of the obvious, is that a novel has more freedom for plot and character development. This is one of the reasons people frequently prefer a book to its movie adaptation, as modifications to the original work are often necessary to properly tell a story through the medium of film.
Interestingly, one of the flaws in the new Brad Pitt movie The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is that it comes across more like a book than a film. Of course, there aren't any words scrolling up and down the screen, yet its frequent narration and lack of scene-to-scene development through performance make it much more a "book-on-film" than a film itself—making for a less viewer-friendly experience.
Directed by Andrew Dominik ( Chopper ), The Assassination stars Brad Pitt as the legendary yet notorious Jesse James in his last year of life, and Casey Affleck as the young and ambitious Robert Ford who leads James to his ultimate demise. Robert Ford and his brother, played by Sam Rockwell, are two newcomers to the James Gang as they attempt their last train robbery. Yet after the successful heist, Robert still longs to be a part of the broken-up gang, and close to his idol. As the film progresses, Robert's ambition and jealousy grow, and the desire for fame provides enough motivation to pull the trigger on a defenseless man.
While Brad Pitt makes for an exceptional Jesse James and certainly deserves a mention, Casey Affleck steals the show. Affleck rockets to a higher level of performance with the role of Robert Ford and is able to capture a mixture of emotions too complex to be portrayed by a less-talented actor. If there was a question as to whether Affleck was scratching the surface of great young actors, he certainly breaks through it with this role.
Co-stars Sam Sheppard ( The Right Stuff, Days of Heaven ) and Sam Rockwell ( Confessions of a Dangerous Mind ) also give solid performances as Frank James and Charlie Ford to round out a well conceived cast.
Performances aside, the overdone introspective nature of The Assassination proves to be too much for a mainstream audience. Much like an abstract work of art where colors and shapes are distorted, this film's plot, purpose, and reason for being are all in an abstract form and presented in a disorganized fashion. The Assassination of Jesse James does, however, deserve praise for Dominick, Pitt, and-most importantly-Casey Affleck's efforts.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" opens September 21 in selected cities.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
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