2/4  More symbolic than entertaining
An absolutely maudlin and frustrating western biography that's too deliberately-paced, emptily-directed and broadly-acted to have much force, though the photography is superb. Casey Affleck is a solid presence, though Brad Pitt seems to f... (read full)

2/4  Unrealized Potential
I heard a lot about how good this film was but I was less than impressed. I thought it was ridiculously long, especially for a movie that likes to take its time when it comes to telling the story. I did enjoy the fine performances from Cas... (read full)

3/4  Action genre? Hardly, but that's ok
Those looking for an action packed Jesse James story need to keep looking, as this film examines the period that Robert Ford came into James' life, which happened toward the end of James' criminal career and life. Casey Affleck stands out... (read full)

2.5/4  Story lacks the whole essence of Jesse James
Modern day viewers would not be as enthusiastic to see such a very lengthy movie like this. From the title alone you could almost tell how everything's going to end. Well duh, Jesse James is gonna die of course. Seems unreal though that he... (read full)

3/4  An opportunity missed.
This is one of those movies you watch and know it could have been something special. Always on the brink of greatness but never quite reaching that pinnacle. A good editor could have sliced half-an-hour off the runtime by eliminating som... (read full)

4/4  Ultimately Coward.
Chopper modern masterpiece's director steps up to my taste, and for the happyness of perfect filmmaking and recreates the life of this character often associated with a childish man, violent. Remarkable things in this film are cinematograp... (read full)

2.5/4  The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Quick Review
Too long and way too boring - but it earns points for being historically accurate. I can't blame the actors, they all played their parts well, but the script was too dry to keep me interested.

3.5/4  The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Quick Review
Very well made and acted.

0.5/4  The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Quick Review
I don't even know if I should have ranked this movie since my husband and I were soooooo bored by it we ended up turning it off about 1/2 way throught. Maybe the exciting parts were yet to come, but wow!

5/5 Worth every penny
  by N. Helferich (Passed out in the Gutter, OH USA)
Easily the best score for 2007 from the best movie of the year. 'Song for Jesse' and 'Song for Bob' are worth the price of the album alone. The music never over powers the images on screen during the movie, and listening to the CD brings back the images from film like they belong together. One word describes this score, beautiful.

5/5 In a Just World.....
  by Kevin G. Ricks (Federalsburg, Maryland)
....this soundtrack would not only have been nominated for an Oscar, it would have been the clear favorite. Along with the appropriately nominated cinematography, this music gave the movie an authenticity and flavor most composers only dream about achieving. Truly, together, they formed the underpinning for an elegiac, mournful, poetic masterpiece of a film. Without this music, it is unthinkable that this misunderstood masterpiece could have succeeded in making of these characters what we come to think of them by the end of the last reel: Jesse as a haunted, nearly deranged soul, torn between the demons of his past and an ever more bleak future, and sad, folorn Bob Ford, who only wanted some respect and recognition, especially from his idol. Powerful stuff, encapsulated in music that stands for and speaks for itself. Like the film, it will never become dated. Its themes are universal and original.

5/5 A haunting, atmospheric score
  by DanD
I came to this record a Nick Cave fan. I was aware that he'd been scoring movies lately (and writing them, too; check out the fantastic "The Proposition"), but thought, since he made a cameo in this film singing the traditional ballad "Jesse James," this might not be score music. So I purchased it, and lo and behold it WAS score music...but I wasn't the least bit disappointed. As a Cave fan, I knew he could craft wonderful melodies. What I didn't know was that he could craft wonderful melodies that, without the aid of lyrics, convey a full range of emotions.

Simply put, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis have crafted a beautiful, haunting record. The movie itself was fantastic, but one of the key components of its success was the soundtrack. Listening to this record without the movie playing, one can tell why. Just lay back and close your eyes, and get lost in this world of cowboys and cowgirls, sins and redemption. It is an experience as enjoyable as watching the movie--and will doubtless make you want to do so.

5/5 Stands on its own...
  by BeatNic (Akron, OH)
With or without having seen the movie, this soundtrack stands on its own. Deep, intense, moody, oddly uplifting. If you've seen the movie, your listening experience can only be enhanced. If you haven't, you'll surely want to. "Rather Lovely Thing," "Another Rather Lovely Thing," and "What Happens Next" are my favorite tracks, but each cut has the power to draw you in and hold you there until the next arrives. Buy it. You won't regret it.

5/5 Beautiful
  by Taffy Waffy (Melb, AUST)
Such a beautiful, haunting, touching score. Strangely enough it doesn't really remind me of the movie, which isn't a bad thing. These compositions stand on their own. I have this on high rotation.