The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the highly anticipated film from director David Fincher starring Brad Pitt as the title character. The film centers around the life of Benjamin Button, who, as his character states early on, "was born under unusual circumstances." These unusual circumstances lead to Benjamin being born as an "old man" baby, a wrinkly infant with cataracts and arthritis, and aging backwards to a "baby" old man, a little kid with dementia.
Oh, where to begin. So far, this film ranks as my biggest disappointment of the year, even more so than the abysmal Australia and the underwhelming Doubt. I have been looking forward to this film ever since I saw the first preview. Its been on all kinds of critic's top ten lists, its seems to be penciled in for a Best Picture nom, its got great actors in Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and Tilda Swinton, and a very capable director, with really tight, well constructed films like Seven, Zodiac, Fight Club, and even Panic Room on his resume. I mean, this should be a great movie, right? Believe me, it is not. It's bloated, meandering, overdone with CG-imagery and boring. And the thing that bothers me is that there is a great movie somewhere in there. The interesting thing about a guy who ages backwards is how that affects his relationships with other people. I don't want to know about the backstory about how he was born the way he was (in the movie), or how he reconnects with his father through booze and brothels (in the movie), or how he goes to war on a tugboat (also in the movie). Those things are not interesting considering your main character's special circumstances.
Oh, where to begin. So far, this film ranks as my biggest disappointment of the year, even more so than the abysmal Australia and the underwhelming Doubt. I have been looking forward to this film ever since I saw the first preview. Its been on all kinds of critic's top ten lists, its seems to be penciled in for a Best Picture nom, its got great actors in Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and Tilda Swinton, and a very capable director, with really tight, well constructed films like Seven, Zodiac, Fight Club, and even Panic Room on his resume. I mean, this should be a great movie, right? Believe me, it is not. It's bloated, meandering, overdone with CG-imagery and boring. And the thing that bothers me is that there is a great movie somewhere in there. The interesting thing about a guy who ages backwards is how that affects his relationships with other people. I don't want to know about the backstory about how he was born the way he was (in the movie), or how he reconnects with his father through booze and brothels (in the movie), or how he goes to war on a tugboat (also in the movie). Those things are not interesting considering your main character's special circumstances.
The only time the film presents an interesting story is about two hours into it's over 2 1/2 hour running time. Here we finally get to see Benjamin and his love interest Daisy, played by Cate Blanchett, spend some significant time together and also begin to question how the relationship will work when Benjamin keeps getting younger. That relationship is where the heart of this film lies. Someone should take a hatchet to this thing, hack away all the superfluous fluff, a create a great 90 minute film about Benjamin and Daisy's relationship from childhood to death. That would be a great use of the source material, which, by the way, is a F. Scott Fitzgerald short story.
As far as the acting goes, Cate Blanchett does a good job as Daisy and Tilda Swinton is admirable in a small role. I don't see all the hubbub about Taraji P. Henson's role as Queenie, Benjamin's adoptive mother. Seemed a bit false and overdone to me. But Brad Pitt's performance sums up the movie as a whole. It's blank and lifeless.
Kinsey: 3.5 stars
Wade: 2 stars
Tara: 3 stars
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