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(About Our Ads) "THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD" (2007) (Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Heavy Extreme *Heavy Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate Minor Moderate Minor Moderate Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Extreme Heavy Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Drama: A young man joins outlaw Jesse James' gang and ends up directly and indirectly altering his and their lives, as well as the course of late 19th century history. PLOT: It's the early 1880s and all that's left of the original, outlaw James Gang is Jesse James (BRAD PITT) and his older brother Frank (SAM SHEPARD). To continue their spree of bank and train robberies that have made them famous (especially Jesse), they assemble a ragtag team of small-time crooks as their accomplices. This time around, that includes their cousin Wood Hite (JEREMY RENNER), brothers Charley (SAM ROCKWELL) and Robert Ford (CASEY AFFLECK), and the likes of Ed Miller (GARRET DILLAHUNT) and Dick Liddil (PAUL SCHNEIDER). Young Robert has long idolized Jesse who leads a double life with his wife Zee (MARY-LOUISE PARKER) and their kids who routinely move whenever the robber and murderer senses the presence of any sort of lawmen. Most everyone dismisses Robert as raw and inexperienced, but he's persistent if anything, and thus becomes part of Jesse's inner circle. As Jesse and Frank part ways, the former becomes increasingly paranoid about his followers, all as Robert's fixation on but eventual disappointment with his idol eventually means their paths and fates will cross in ways no one could have imagined. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're interested in the history behind the film or are fans of someone in the cast, they might, but this one otherwise seems most attractive to older teens. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For some strong violence and brief sexual references. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: BRAD PITT plays the legendary and charismatic outlaw, robber, and murderer who becomes increasingly paranoid about those within his circle, and thus kills some of them. CASEY AFFLECK plays a young man who's long idolized Jesse and is thrilled to join his gang, but become increasingly disillusioned with the man. He ends up murdering a man. SAM ROCKWELL plays his brother who similarly joins the gang with his sibling, and becomes nervous that Jesse is going to kill both of them. JEREMY RENNER plays Jesse's cousin who's part of the gang and has a falling out with Dick. SAM SHEPARD plays Jesse's older brother who quits the gang, thus giving Jesse full control of it. PAUL SCHNEIDER plays the literate member of the gang who has a falling out with Charley, particularly over his sexual affair with the latter's young stepmother. GARRET DILLAHUNT plays another member of the gang. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 3 "s" words and various slang terms using female and male genitals, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue is present, adulterous sex is implied, a dead man's bare butt is seen, and a burlesque dancer briefly does her thing behind an array of feathers. Violence consists of fatal gunshots and people beating up others, while threatening and the beheading of small snakes occurs. Some of that has fairy bloody results, and those scenes and moments of peril might be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers. Some of the behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate, while various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes. Various characters smoke and/or drink (one to the point of inebriation), and tense family material is present (mainly regarding a woman finding her husband fatally wounded and then having to travel around with his dead body). Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Miscellaneous people have beer. We see Jesse with a beer, and it's said that he has just one in one hour, but still comments about being tipsy from that. Various people raise their glass for a toast. A man carries a drink. Miscellaneous people drink. A strolling guitarist sings a song about Robert being a coward, so Robert pulls his gun, fires a warning shot, and then tosses his gun in the guitarist's direction. Robert, who's drunk, also swipes something off a table before falling to the floor. Miscellaneous people drink in several scenes. BLOOD/GORE Jesse hits a man on the head, resulting in some blood on that man's face and shirt. He then hits him again, flooring him, and we then see a small pool of blood on the floor behind him. Jesse handles some small snakes and then cuts off their heads with a knife (their bodies still move about after that). We see some scars on Jesse's back. Some people who've been shot have bloody wounds (leg, arm and head -- the latter being a fatal and far more graphic wound, with blood out and a large hole visible, and then a pool of blood behind the dead man's head). We later see the dead man's body laid out in a bed, shirtless, but no longer bloody, and then when it's dumped nude into a ravine and covered with snow. We see Jesse riding with an associate as night, making the other man ride in front of him. Jesse then pulls his gun, cocks it, and shoots the man in the back (we see blood on his chest from the exit wound). He then shoots him again, this time in the head, with a brief burst of blood out. Jesse makes a comment about not wanting to do something anymore than "spoon up your own puke." At night, Robert starts to get out of bed, but then hears Jesse cock his gun. Robert then says he has to use the privy, but Jesse says he only thinks he does, so Robert gets back into bed. As another man stands on a chair to clean a picture (knowing what's coming next), another man shoots him in the head, killing him (the victim falls off the chair, bloody, particularly on his neck). We see a clothed dead body tied to an angled table for photographic purposes. We later see that same body on ice for similar purposes. To answer a person who calls him a coward, Robert jumps from a stage down into the audience and hits that man and others, bloodying them, before being subdued (and he's then seen with blood on his face). A man shoots himself in the chest with a revolver (we don't see the impact, but do see a little blood on his shirt). We see a dead rabbit or similar animal hanging in a window with what looks like letters written in blood on the window. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE We hear that Jesse committed at least 17 murders, and he kills more people in the film. Charley comments on someone "diddling a squaw" and states that he always wanted to lay down with a "redskin." That's followed by talk about a woman's genitals (using various slang terms for them, such as "cunny" and "cootch," about some of them making noise, and about being inside a woman). Jesse handles some small snakes and then cuts off their heads with a knife (their bodies still move about after that). Charley and Wood make fun of Robert for having issues of Jesse serials and such. When Robert gets mad about that, Wood pushes him down. Dick likes the young wife to Wood's father, and the feeling is mutual (with an implied affair between them). FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" and "Blood/Gore" may be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. Frank pulls a pistol on Robert to make him leave him alone. Jesse's gang fires warning shots (rifles and pistols) while stopping a train to rob it. Jesse then hits one person with his pistol, shoots nearby him, and then holds a gun on the safe man. He then hits that man on the head, resulting in some blood on that man's face and shirt. He then hits that man on the head again, flooring him, and then holds his gun to the unconscious man's head, but one of Jesse's subordinates tells him not to shoot, and Jesse doesn't. Jesse handles some small snakes and then cuts off their heads with a knife (their bodies still move about after that). To impress upon Robert not mentioning his plan, Dick holds his pistol to Robert's head as the later sits in a washtub. Jesse visits Ed who acts quite nervously around him. Dick hears a noise and thus cautiously heads downstairs with a candle and gun in his hands, but it's Jesse waiting for him there. Regarding their previous falling out, Dick prepares a gun and aims it at his bedroom door as Wood arrives. The two fire many shots at each other, with most missing, and Charley jumps out the second floor window and injures his leg while landing in the snow. Wood then shoots Dick in the leg, with Dick getting Wood in the arm. Wood then walks up and aims his gun at Dick's head, but Robert shoots Wood in the head, killing him. Jesse arrives at an associate's house and everyone acts nervously since they know one of them killed Jesse's cousin, but try to cover that with white lies about the man's absence. We see Jesse riding with an associate as night, making the other man ride in front of him. Jesse then pulls his gun, cocks it, and shoots the man in the back (we see blood on his chest from the exit wound). He then shoots him again, this time in the head, with a brief burst of blood out. Armed officials surround a house, ordering those inside out, with Robert coming out with his hands in the air. Demonstrating a past story but also sending a warning, Jesse grabs Robert around the head and then holds a knife to his throat (although he then laughs about that, as does Charley, nervously). At night, Robert starts to get out of bed, but then hears Jesse cock his gun. Robert then says he has to use the privy, but Jesse says he only thinks he does, so Robert gets back into bed. Seeing a newspaper story about an associate's arrest and confession, Robert nervously tries to hide that from Jesse's view, but the latter finds it anyway. As another man stands on a chair to clean a picture (knowing what's coming next), another man shoots him in the head, killing him (the victim falls off the chair, bloody, particularly on his neck). To answer a person who calls him a coward, Robert jumps from a stage down into the audience and hits that man and others, bloodying them, before being subdued (and he's then seen with blood on his face). A man shoots himself in the chest with a revolver (we don't see the impact, but do see a little blood on his shirt). A strolling guitarist sings a song about Robert being a coward, so Robert pulls his gun, fires a warning shot, and then tosses his gun in the guitarist's direction. Robert, who's drunk, also swipes something off a table before falling to the floor. A man walks up to another man with a shotgun, and presumably shoots him (but we don't see or hear the shot). GUNS/WEAPONS Pistols/Rifles/Shotguns/Knife: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound, or kill others. See "Violence" for details. While standing on a frozen pond or lake, Jesse repeatedly shoots down into the ice below him. Jesse gives Robert a fancy revolver as a gift. A strolling guitarist sings a song about Robert being a coward, so Robert pulls his gun, fires a warning shot, and then tosses his gun in the guitarist's direction. Robert, who's drunk, also swipes something off a table before falling to the floor. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Peckerwoods," "Nincompoop," "Poetry don't work on whores," "They're gonna trip and shoot themselves in the females" (or something like that) "What do you want, peckerwood?" "You got a big ol' p*cker for being such a little squirrel," "You're acting queer," "Shut up," "You bastard," "You son of a bitch," "Scalawag," "Woman, shut your face for once," "He's lying like a rug," You're more G*ddamn trouble than you're worth," "You silly little bastard," "...then spoon up your own puke," "He's suspicious as a damn coyote," "Hell, he's ugly as..." Some kids may want to imitate any of the villains' behavior (particularly in the form of being an "outlaw"), and some of the action and threatening might be similarly enticing. Various characters spit in separate scenes. Jesse handles some small snakes and then cuts off their heads with a knife (their bodies still move about after that). While standing on a frozen pond or lake, Jesse repeatedly shoots down into the ice below him. Jesse moves Charley's soup bowl so that when the latter sits back up and puts his arm down, his elbow lands in the soup. JUMP SCENES Jesse suddenly yells (that might startle some viewers). Some of the sudden gunshots might do the same. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A moderate amount of ominous and suspenseful music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A person sings, "I just don't give a damn." PROFANITY At least 3 "s" words, 1 slang term for sex ("diddling"), 5 using female genitals ("cunny," "cootch," what sounded like "the females," and another), 2 for male ones ("c*ck" and "p*cker"), 2 damns, 2 hells, 1 S.O.B., 3 uses of "G-damn," and 2 uses each of "Jesus" and "My God." SEX/NUDITY Jesse makes a comment about someone satisfying a wife's needs with efficiency and courtesy (or something like that). Charley comments on someone "diddling a squaw" and states that he always wanted to lay down with a "redskin." That's followed by talk about a woman's genitals (using various slang terms for them, such as "cunny" and "cootch," about some of them making noise, and about being inside a woman). Ed states that he was with a girl once (meaning sexually), but then adds that she gave him a kind price (meaning she was a prostitute). He confirms that by saying she had been with other people. Dick states that poetry doesn't work on whores. A person makes the comment, "They're gonna trip and shoot themselves in the females" (or something that sounded like that). We see Jesse's bare back as he bathes in a metal tub. We see Robert shirtless in a tub out in a field (bathing), with Dick then suddenly showing up there. He looks down into the tub, mentions "c*ck" and then says, "You got a big ol' p*cker for being such a little squirrel." Dick likes the young wife to Wood's father, and the feeling is mutual. She tells him he makes her feel warm all over, and after she says her husband's father wouldn't spit on her if she were on fire, Dick suggestively replies that if someone is on fire, the thing to do is roll her around on the ground and cover her with your body. Later, Dick walks into the outhouse at night and in on the wife sitting there (she draws her legs together, but doesn't seem to mind his presence). She says she can't continue with a strange man there, and Dick replies he isn't strange, but instead is built just like the rest of them (meaning men). She then turns out the lamp in there, saying, "And I bet you thought I was a lady" (sex is implied). A man reads a story about a woman who got herself all agitated (meant sexually). We see full rear male nudity when a dead body is dumped into a ravine and then covered in snow. A performer in a burlesque type show suggestively holds feathers in front of her, and we see her bare shoulders, but never know if she's nude behind the feathers (although the men in the audience seem to enjoy the suggestive show). SMOKING Jesse smokes cigars at least 10 times, Charley and Robert each smoke several times, Frank and Wood each smoke at least once, and a number of minor and miscellaneous characters smoke in several scenes (cigars or cigarettes). TENSE FAMILY SCENES We hear that Jesse and Frank are now hardly on speaking terms. We hear that Martha is a widow. A woman reacts in terror upon hearing and then discovering that her husband has been murdered (while their young son is also there and sees that). She later sits in grief as her husband's dead body lies nearby on ice. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The historical accuracy of and/or artistic license taken with the true story. Bank, stagecoach, and train robberies of old. The notion of celebrity, even back in the day of Jesse James. VIOLENCE Jesse's gang fires warning shots (rifles and pistols) while stopping a train to rob it. Jesse then hits one person with his pistol, shoots nearby him, and then holds a gun on the safe man. He then hits that man on the head, resulting in some blood on that man's face and shirt. He then hits that man on the head again, flooring him, and then holds his gun to the unconscious man's head, but one of Jesse's subordinates tells him not to shoot, and Jesse doesn't. Jesse handles some small snakes and then cuts off their heads with a knife (their bodies still move about after that). To impress upon Robert not mentioning his plan, Dick holds his pistol to Robert's head as the later sits in a washtub. Jesse grabs a boy and struggles and drags him through the snow by the neck into a barn. He wants info out of the boy about a relative, and proceeds to punch him repeatedly (in the body), and pull on his ear (as if he's going to tear it off), but Jesse's associate knocks his hat from his head, thus causing him to stop. Regarding their previous falling out, Dick prepares a gun and aims it at his bedroom door as Wood arrives. The two fire many shots at each other, with most missing, and Charley jumps out the second floor window and injures his leg while landing in the snow. Wood then shoots Dick in the leg, with Dick getting Wood in the arm. Wood then walks up and aims his gun at Dick's head, but Robert shoots Wood in the head, killing him. We see Jesse riding with an associate as night, making the other man ride in front of him. Jesse then pulls his gun, cocks it, and shoots the man in the back (we see blood on his chest from the exit wound). He then shoots him again, this time in the head, with a brief burst of blood out. Some police officers or guards tackle Robert. Demonstrating a past story but also sending a warning, Jesse grabs Robert around the head and then holds a knife to his throat (although he then laughs about that, as does Charley, nervously). As another man stands on a chair to clean a picture (knowing what's coming next), another man shoots him in the head, killing him (the victim falls off the chair, bloody, particularly on his neck). A stage play reenacts the murder of Jesse (with a fake gun shooting him as he stands on a chair). To answer a person who calls him a coward, Robert jumps from a stage down into the audience and hits that man and others, bloodying them, before being subdued (and he's then seen with blood on his face). A man shoots himself in the chest with a revolver (we don't see the impact, but do see a little blood on his shirt). A man walks up to another man with a shotgun, and presumably shoots him (but we don't see or hear the shot). Reviewed September 18, 2007 / Posted October 19, 2007