In Just 10 Seconds, Sam Rockwell Gave His Best Performance in This Fan-Favorite Western

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is one of the few contemporary Westerns that is worthy of ranking alongside the classics of John Ford and Sergio Leone. Westerns may have gone through many cycles of popularity within the late 20th century, but Andrew Dominik created an epic tragedy about the toxic relationship between a pseudo-celebrity and his most obsessive fan, which has only grown more relevant as the years have passed. Casting Brad Pitt as a larger-than-life figure with a dark side was a brilliant casting decision, and Casey Affleck earned a well-deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his repugnant performance as James’ assassin. However, Sam Rockwell gives an overlooked yet critical performance in The Assassination of Jesse James that reconfigures what the true tragedy of the story is.

Although Ford’s betrayal of James is the focus of the film, it’s not a case in which either character is intended to be sympathetic. Rockwell appears in the film as Charley Ford, the older brother of Robert, who has already joined fellow members of the James gang, including Wood Hite (Jeremy Renner) and Dick Liddil (Paul Schneider), as the primary orchestrators of planned heists. Even though it’s a film where all the characters are criminals, Charley is in a fascinating position in which he is torn between familial loyalty and the oath of fealty that he swore to Jesse and his cause. It could be argued that both Robert and Jesse inevitably got what they deserved, but Charley is the one character who showed the type of compassion unseen within this checkered period in American history.

Sam Rockwell Gives a Subtle, Tragic Performance in ‘The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’

An aspect of Rockwell’s acting style that has made him so great is his ability to seamlessly feel like a professional within whichever field he is supposed to be experienced in. Charley is introduced as someone who has already had his fair share of experience pulling off robberies and thus has become accustomed to the dangers that it entails. While Robert is still wrapped up in the exciting nature of the experience, Charley has grown to accept it as part of his reality and no longer shows a childish desire for adventure. Rockwell’s performance is subtle because he strikes a balance between the outspoken ambition shown by Affleck and the cooler sensibilities of Pitt. Although it’s clear that Jesse identifies Robert as a fool who is too eager to join the gang, he decides to accept him based on the respect that he has for Charley. When compared to how erratic and irrational both Wood and Dick are between their seizures on behalf of the gang, Charley carries himself with the poise and mystique that makes him Jesse’s proper representative.

The tension between accommodating his brother and remaining Jesse’s second-in-command is what makes Rockwell’s performance so interesting, as Charley is forced to play both sides without being dishonest. Although Charley does seem to recognize that Robert’s manner is not befitting of what the gang needs, he’s able to put faith in the idea that his brother might mature. Alternatively, his concerns about Jesse’s brutality are brushed aside upon recognizing the power of influence that the famous outlaw has. These two desires crash into one another during one of the most climactic scenes in the film, in which Robert executes Hite after he feuded with Dick. Charley’s awareness of the incident is heartbreaking because he is wise enough to see the consequences that will come, and the intelligence Rockwell brings to his performance makes the next act of the story even more intense.

‘The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’ Is a Story of Brotherhood

Although most Westerns would end after the climactic shootout, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford explores the lingering effects of guilt and how it specifically impacts Robert’s hero worship. While Robert at least feel vindicated in that he genuinely hated the way that Jesse treated him, Charley feels nothing but remorse for his part in betraying a man who was his mentor; Charley’s inability to fully complete a letter of apology to Jesse’ widow, Zee (Mary-Louise Parker), suggests that he can’t fully own up to his mistakes because it would validate his reality. What’s most infuriating is that this intensive, existential crisis is only felt by Charley, as Robert has not taken the time to do similar soul-searching. Rockwell does an excellent job at showcasing the decline of Charley’s mental health, especially considering that the language used to discuss depression and grief was not accessible during this period in history. While the final sequence featuring Charley is only a few seconds long, it’s a staggering and heartbreaking scene that will stick with you.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford wouldn’t work without Rockwell because the film is a tragedy about the rejection of brotherhood. Robert has become so obsessed with the idea of an iconoclastic hero like Jesse that he can’t help but be disappointed by the man that he actually meets; in a bitter pit of irony, the qualities of a bandit and outlaw that he looked for in Jesse were actually within Charley all along, even if Robert was so blinded by ego to believe it. Although all the men in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford treat one another as disposable, Charley develops a real sense of fellowship, making it more upsetting when he is forced to take a stand against the other members of the gang. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford has slowly been accepted as being a genuinely overlooked masterpiece, and Rockwell’s performance should be credited for why it is so brilliant.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is available to rent or buy on VOD services.