Title: Film Redeemed By a Terrific Second Half
Product review: At times watching this film seems like a chore for, say, the first hour and a half. Stay with it because it rebounds nicely in the end. The film goes at a deliberate pace. Some would say it drags. By the film's midpoint it's themes of good and evil, truth and fiction, real and unreal start to cohere. Brad Pitt is terrific in conveying the multi-facets that was Jesse James. He terrificly encapsulates a man who could be a loving husband and father and also a cold-blooded killer. The revelation here is Casey Affleck as Robert Ford. In a complex reading of the character we are left to wonder whether Ford was a hero-worshiper, cold-blooded killer, or an avenging angel. Affleck plays his cards close to the vest so his motives remain an enigma. It makes for a little irony in the film's title. I recommend this film despite the slow going at times.
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