Robert Ford, who's idolized Jesse James since childhood, tries hard to join the reforming gang of the Missouri outlaw, but gradually becomes resentful of the bandit leader.

The movie tells the story of the notorious outlaw Jesse James and one of his gang members, Robert Ford, who idolizes James but ultimately betrays and kills him. The film is a psychological study of fame, betrayal and the cost of living in the shadows of a legend, and also explores the complexity of the relationship between Jesse James and Robert Ford.