杰西•詹姆斯(Brad Pitt 布莱德•彼特 饰),南北战争时期最著名的强盗,他与兄长组建的詹姆斯帮伙同其喽罗犯下无数宗抢劫案,即使防卫再出色的银行也难逃他们的魔掌。杰西凭借其出神入化的枪法和经历成为平民百姓心中的传奇人物。 人过中年杰西逐渐厌倦颠沛流离和与政府捉迷藏的生活,手下的喽罗或死或伤,兄长也因杰西的坏脾气选择离开。新加入“詹姆斯帮” 的懦弱男孩罗伯特•福特(Casey Affleck 凯西•阿弗莱克 饰)视杰西为超级偶像,与渐感疲惫的杰西隐居乡间。然而经过多年的相处,罗伯特却最终成为这名传奇侠盗生命之闸的掣动者……Taking place in the American Northwest in the early 1880s, the film dramatizes the last seven months in the life of famed outlaw Jesse James, beginning with the Blue Cut train robbery of 1881 and culminating in his assassination at the hands of Robert Ford the following April. In the time between these two fateful events, the young and jealous Ford befriends the increasingly mistrustful outlaw, even as he plots his demise.