Immeasurable gloomy, the length of the title and the running time of 2 hrs 39 mins give pretty strong indications - it’s too long and too slow. However easy on the eye Brad Pitt may be, close ups of his face and that of Casey Affleck as Ford fail to illuminate a tedious and near incomprehensible movie. Strong on atmosphere and weak on story, interminable shots of snow, winter landscape and bleak interiors are overlaid with voiceover historical narrative which make the heart sink. We could go and read this stuff for ourselves. What could have been an interesting psychological profiling of the lead characters is instead dreary. Contradictory behaviour gives clues to James’ psychotic state - he talks about suicide and feeling depressed, is coldly violent then almost maniacal. There are also demonstrations that he is a ruthless killer - but he’s quite nice really because he plays with his children and is affectionate towards his wife. Following the savage beating of a teenage boy
Observations: Here's lookin' at you kid. Book, Film and Theatre Reviews. Selling houses: Telling it like it is.