Plot: At the end of WWI a boy is born who shows all the signs of being an old man on death’s doorstep. This is a story of a man whose body ages backwards but not his mind or soul. We experience his many adventures all while he pursues a normal life, as well as true love. The story is told from the perspective of his diary, which is read at the hospital bed of his dying lifelong friend.
I went into this film with a very open mind. I know it was a much talked about film and that a lot of people were surprised by the fact it received an Oscar nomination for best picture. However, David Fincher is one of my favorite directors, and it seemed like such a unique story so I was excited to see it from the first time I viewed the trailer. The thing about Benjamin Button is, he’s a slightly cold person, and the same can be said about the film in general. Is it worthy of a best picture nomination? That’s debatable, but you cannot debate how grand of a film it is. It is a sprawling and poetic story that tugs at your heart, makes you laugh and makes you wonder. The problem is that the film doesn’t do any of these things exceptionally well; it just does them well. What it does do exceptionally well is the thing that earned it instant Criterion Collection status, and that is special effects.
The effects are so good you don’t even know when they’re being used (except the hummingbird). If we didn’t know what age Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt are, we would have no idea that their faces at so many points in the film are digitized. It is so seamless and well done I was amazed. I can’t even fathom how they do this kind of work anymore. I’m only twenty-eight and it’s beyond me now. Furthermore, almost every scene can be paused, printed out and hung on the wall as a photograph. The cinematography is splendid and I think the war scene at sea ranks up there as one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve viewed. I am never disappointed by the imagery in a David Fincher film.
Another thing that doesn’t disappoint, and I feel has not been talked about enough, is Brad Pitt’s performance. I said earlier that Benjamin Button is a slightly cold person, which is true, but I think that is in the writing and not Brad Pitt’s fault. I found it fascinating to watch Pitt act like a toddler while he looked 90, and act as an old man when he looked like a teen in his prime. I think he showed a lot of restraint and there were many subtle mannerisms and tone changes that were very interesting. However, I think the writers thought the fact of his unique situation was enough to make Benjamin interesting, and forgot to give him much of a personality.
As a whole, I liked The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I enjoyed watching it, and wasn’t bored once over the two hour and fifty minute running time. In the end, however, I didn’t care that much either. For some reason, I was just never drawn in to any of the characters. On the other hand, the film is a great work of art. If the story sounds interesting, if the running time doesn’t scare you and you’re a fan of David Fincher then you should give this film a chance, and once will probably be enough.
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