The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Movie Review)

Movie Review 
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 
Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett
Directed by: David Fincher
Runtime: 2:45

To say that The Curious Case  of Benjamin Button is an ambitious film would be an understatement. Director David Fincher tried to create a film that feels like it’s trying to be everything all at the same time. It has action, comedy, drama, suspense, flashbacks, advanced visual effects and lots of compelling dialogue. It is a well crafted film but it does have some serious flaws.

The story centers around Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) who is born during the final days of World War I in New Orleans. His mother dies moments after he is born and after his father takes one look at him, he is disposed of by being left on the doorstep of a senior citizens’ home. One of the caretakers of the home, Queenie (Taraji P. Henson), discovers the newborn and realizes his twisted condition immediately; the baby was born as an old man. She takes care of him as if he was her own son. At the home, Benjamin feels at home with people who have the same physical condition as he does. However, as he grows older, his body grows younger and he begins to set off to discover the world.

Button begins to make friends across the world and becomes part of a battle during World War II when the boat he is working on accepts a contract with the United States navy. His boat gets attacked by a Japanese sub in which most of the crew dies. He returns home with hopes to begin a relationship with a young girl from his past named Daisy (Cate Blanchett). They meet and depart each other’s company several times throughout the movie as Button seems to be uncomfortable with Daisy’s fast paced way of life while Daisy finds that Benjamin shows up at the worst possible moments and not ready to take the relationship to the next level.

The entire movie is told as flashbacks while a much older Daisy is dying on a hospital bed while her daughter Caroline (Julia Ormond) is reading from Benjamin’s journal. It’s an interesting way of telling the story although when something shocking is revealed about Benjamin or his interpersonal relationships, the story stops so that Caroline and/or Daisy can make some sort of comment or exchange. It interrupts the flow of the movie and takes a bit out of it.

The movie tries to do too much all the time. It feels like a group of people sat around watching Forrest Gump and decided to make a movie just like it. This movie is filled with nostalgia trips and has a main character who is not always the sharpest knife in the drawer but seems to always have something poignant to say. This is not a bad thing and the film does have a great amount of charm making it a very enjoyable experience. However, there are times where you are watching the film and getting a sense of déjà vu.

The relationship between Benjamin and Daisy seems a little farfetched. It hard to understand why Benjamin has such a strong attraction to Daisy as there are times as he seems repulsed by her behaviour and attitude. Also, he spends time with multiple women in-between his departure from New Orleans and his return. It just doesn’t seem natural for him to want to pursue her.

Another curiosity is why he decided to sell his father’s house instead of living in it himself and even more bizarre is why he lives in a much cheaper duplex with no furniture. The movie is filled with these little things that don’t make sense or storylines that are foreshadowed but forgotten about. Little is made about Queenie’s child born after Benjamin and they could have gone so many ways with it but the sibling was only mentioned once much later in the film after her birth. Other things that seem too exceptional to believe like when Benjamin returns home to find out Queenie is dead and her funeral was happening at that instance just seemed like sloppy writing.

The visual effects are hit or miss. The transformation of Brad Pitt from old to young was very well done and it looked as realistic as possible. Other effects such as the snow in Russia looked incredibly fake and is inexcusable with the technology that we have today. Even if the scene had been filmed on a lot using fake snow would have looked more realistic than the blurry white stuff they imposed on the screen. The make up and set design is gorgeous but the computer graphics left something to be desired.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a charming film but it has its issues. Normally when you have a film that is charming like this one it is easy to overlook if it is predictable or other issues. However there is too much that can be forgiven. At times the plot doesn’t make sense and the personal relationships seem a bit forced. Plus, at almost three hours, it feels like a marathon. It does nothing to make it feel as if the time is passing by. Then again, time is a running theme in the movie. They could have easily cut out thirty minutes out of this movie since many of the scenes feel like the run a little long. Even with it’s problems, the movie is enjoyable so long as you can survive the near -three hour experience.

☆☆☆