This film caught me by surprise. The screenwriting is excellent, and Brad Pitt gives what may be his best performance ever as Jesse James in the sunset of his notorious career. The film is as much about morality as about a peculiar period in American history, a time of expansion westward which was conducted at great cost to many. I rather enjoyed the bleak yet realistically portrayed conditions of frontier town life and the typical period style shameless sideshow staged events that this movie profiles. While the title gives away the culminating event, by the end of the film, you find yourself sympathizing with the fabled outlaw, despite his horrific deeds. Mr. Pitt's performance is wonderful; his silences, body language and facial expressions are as well acted as his dialogue. However, be forewarned: if you like action movies, this isn't one of those. Quite the opposite: it is one of those slow as molasses unfolding story movies.