Brad Pitt received mixed reviews, and many were critical of Pitt's performance. According to Mick LaSalle of the "San Francisco Chronicle", Pitt was unable to "make an audience believe that he knows all the mysteries of death and eternity." Roger Ebert stated "Pitt is a fine actor, but this performance is a miscalculation." In 1999, Pitt portrayed Tyler Durden in "Fight Club", a film adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel of the same name, directed by David Fincher. Pitt prepared for the part with lessons in boxing, taekwondo, and grappling. To look the part, Pitt consented to the removal of pieces of his
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (novel) status, the novel reveals they kept all their money for themselves. This novel was both popular, with strong sales, and critically acclaimed for Hansens's vivid portrayal of James, his gang and family, and his times. It made the short list for the 1984 PEN/Faulkner Award.<ref name="PEN/Faulkner Foundation - Past Winners & Finalists"></ref> In 2007, the novel was adapted as a film of the same name. The screenplay was written and the film directed by Andrew Dominik. It starred Brad Pitt as James and Casey Affleck as Ford. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (novel) The Assassination