Hacker Cinema
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2007 · Film · 160 min
Directed by Andrew Dominik
Outlaw Jesse James is rumored to be the 'fastest gun in the West'. An eager recruit into James' notorious gang, Robert Ford eventually grows jealous of the famed outlaw and, when Robert and his brother sense an opportunity to kill James, their murderous action elevates their target to near mythical status.
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2 comments on Hacker News
Fascinating life story, but as the other commenter mentioned, there are some serious ethical quandaries with glorifying this character. Especially, in my mind, because he seems to be only concerned with money and not “social justice,” I.e. Robin Hood.
The article mentioned a number of other heist movies but conspicuously left out The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, which is an amazing film that delves into the complexities of why criminals are popular. I really can’t recommend that movie enough.
Otherwise, as a big fan of heist films, I think this is why I always appreciated the Ocean’s series. No one is killed (or even injured) and the heists are conducted through mechanical and social trickery, not violence.
My conservative friends, not in the intelligence community, really don't like him. They try to be civil, but I can almost hear them hiss when I mention "Snowden".
It's odd to me. They don't mind digital surveillance at all. They think it's good if it makes everyone safer.
Throwing in my two cents, what interests me on the Snowden topic, is his character. While I'm glad Snowden took the initiative and risk, I don't believe he did it for altruistic reasons: sacrificing himself for the greater good. My opinion is based on seeing and hearing Edward Snowden talk in the documentary "Citizen 4" and other interviews. Many people say, "Look at what he did. He gave up his life in America. He sacrificed everything for no financial reward. He's a hero." It's true he took a big risk; he could still spend a lot of his life in prison. But he has gained huge from this risk. He is famous and respected by many; they're making a fucking movie about him. It reminds me of the line at the end of "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford": "You know what I expected [after I killed Jesse James]? Applause."