It’s funny that this review is coming up today. In some ways it reminds me of The Time Traveler’s Wife. You have two people who love each other almost their whole lives, but there is only a short period of time when it is possible for them to truely be together. In the case of TTW Henry had to wait for Clare to grow up and meet him, in this film’s case…the two character’s had to age together – one backwards and one forwards.
Brought by OBS staff member Rose
Name: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Rated: PG -13
Running time: 166 minutes
Directors: David Fincher
Synopsis
When a woman named Daisy (Cate Blanchett), on her death bed in a New Orleans hospital, tells her daughter Caroline (Julia Ormond) the story of a clockmaker who builds a clock for a New Orleans train station, a whole tale unfolds. Stricken with grief over the loss of his son at war, the clockmaker made his clock to run backwards. So to does the elaborate and moving story of Benjamin Button, unsightly disfigured at birth and unjustly dropped on the doorstep of a nursing home by his father, Benjamin must live his life backwards and fall in love in the meantime.
Review
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is not only a glorious drama but also a rich love story, with many amazing characters whose tales of human condition and struggle overlap with the ever so creeping enemy of time at their heels. Bless poor young Buttons heart as he learns to walk, develops a crush on Daisy when they were mere children and gets drunk as an old wrinkly teenager and visits his first brothel. Throughout the movie as its spans history I kept thinking Forrest Gump. It just oozed Gumpness sans the memorable quotes. It’s no coincidence as both were written by the same man, Eric Roth. At one point Benjamin and Daisy are about even in their age difference (finally) and all seems well. Love is bliss. But time doesn’t turn a blind eye.
Brad was believable in his character and your knowledge of his stardom did not conflict with the story as it sometimes can; case in point Ocean’s Eleven. CGI and makeup used to morph Brad Pitt from a feeble elderly child/adolescent and back to his 20’s mind you was superb. I think people sometimes forget that Brad Pitt is capable of such wide range of acting due to his pretty boy personae. Cate Blanchett ever regal in any character she plays, embodies the driven, independent and stubborn spirit of Daisy flawlessly. On a time-consuming note, Button is slightly under three hours long, so be ready to stuff a cushion under your bum. How apropos is it that a film about the passing of time would turn out to be so damn long? Personally I did not mind, for the storyline, subject matter and the wonderful acting kept me glued. After the film winds down and its all over, instead of nitpicking the movie in one’s mind as we sometimes do, it will in turn make you cherish life and reflect how time takes us all eventually and we’re gone no matter what direction it travels.
I definitely would watch it again if the opportunity presents itself.
Rating: 9/10 stars
