"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" - A

When I pulled the Jesse James DVD from the shelf of my local Blockbuster, the clerk gave me a dubious, "Humm ....," as he rung up the rental. "I've heard good and bad about this one," he said. "People have said you either like it, or you hate it."

I thought that was a great sign; that typically means you're in store for a great tale. And I wasn't disappointed.

My two all-time favorite films are "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" and "The Wild Bunch." I sometimes go back and forth about which of the two I enjoy more; they're uniquely intriguing with very distinctive thematic differences. Perhaps my strong dedication to these films predisposed me to liking 2007's "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford."

But let me offer you this opinion without qualifiers: "The Assassination of Jesse James" isn't a good movie; it's a fantastic film.

Overview: Viewers are given an insightful trip through the finale of Jesse James' life as he commits his last crime and grows weary. His trademark "distant person" lifestyle merges with his paranoias, driving him to a bloody end at the hands of Robert Ford.

This title is all about the journey, the intertwining of personalities and lives that brought James and Ford together and drove them apart. And even though you know from the start the eventual outcome of this strange partnership, it still hits you like a fist when you see how it transpires — the hallmark of a remarkable production.

This is not an oat opera with horseback chases. There is some gun play, but it's short and bloody without any glamor or gloss. There are, however, numerous examples of mesmerizing cinematography coupled with a sparse, haunting soundtrack from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

Brad Pitt is solid and intense. Casey Affleck delivers a stunning characterization of Robert Ford. He is able to delve into all the emotions that would make you feel disgust and pity for all that he does and all that he becomes. It's truly unreal.

This is a must-see drama that had me riveted from start to finish. Again, it isn't good ... it's great.