Everyone in 1880s America knows Jesse James. He's the nation's most notorious criminal, hunted by the law in 10 states. He's also the land's greatest hero, lauded as a Robin Hood by the public. Robert Ford, meanwhile, is a nobody. That, however, isn't something the ambitious 19-year-old will settle for. He'll befriend Jesse, join his gang and gain his confidence, and eventually become his downfall.

Friendship turns to rivalry and the quest for fame becomes obsession.