The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) User Reviews

As Time Goes By

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 6 May 2009]

I found this to be an interesting film; certainly not boring as I had heard from a few people who saw it in the theater. To me, it was simply good storytelling.

Yes, it's slow, especially by today's movie standards, but it's certainly a unique story and it's nicely filmed, acted and directed. Story-wise, it's one of those films I understand if people love it or hate it. I'm somewhat in the middle and leaning toward the positive.

For a movie that runs for over 2 hours and 40 minutes and is not some suspense or action film, it has to be pretty good to hold one's interest. I can only speak for myself; it held my interest for 95 percent of it.

I think the first two-thirds of the movie is the best. Brad Pitt as "Benjamin Button" is pretty fascinating, as is the story of him growing up from a wrinkled, old man-baby to a mid-40s guy. When he re-unites with childhood friend "Daisy" (Cate Blanchett) and becomes her lover, the film bogs down in a few spots but few people are going to stop watching after investing two hours. It picks up again, especially in the last minutes when "Benjamin" begins to finally become younger than an adult.

There's a sadness to this story, especially near the end but overall, even though it's central theme seems to be "death," I don't think it's a depressing film. It does remind us, in a big way, that the longer we're around, the more death of friends and loved ones we witness. That's just a sad fact of life. I hear about it all time with my father, who is 91 years old and has seen almost all of his friends die.

It's especially true in this story when Benjamin starts off and has a lot of old friends to begin with! "Benjamin" was an odd person to me; you could root for him, yet not admire him. He often treated people only to satisfy his desires and could have been so much more. Yet, being "a fly on the wall" and observing his interesting life, was memorable, making this a film worthy of the time invested to watch it.

In the end, the movie made me appreciate the friends I do have, and not to take any of them for granted as life passes us by so fast, no matter what direction we're headed!

Sort of like "Forrest Gump" run in reverse and without the laughs.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 10 August 2010]

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" sure got a lot of attention when it came out in 2008. It got so much attention that it received three Oscars and is ranked in the IMDb Top 250--currently at #247. And, as a result, when I finally got around to seeing it, my expectations were way, way too high. I was expecting too much, I am sure, as it's hard for a film to live up to all this hoopla. Now if I look at the film and try to ignore all these ridiculously high expectations, I see that it is indeed an exceptional film...but perhaps not quite the 'must-see' that I thought it was. I can't put my finger on it...it just didn't seem like a film a cinema freak must watch...though it was a nice, gentle viewing experience. And, after seeing this and "Slumdog Millionaire", I can see why "Benjamin Button" didn't capture the Best Picture Oscar.

Probably the best way to describe this film is like "Forrest Gump" run in reverse...and without the laughs or meetings with presidents and all the celebrity status. That's because although Benjamin SHOULD be world famous for being the only person to ever live life backwards, curiously he isn't and people seem to almost take it in stride. In addition, and this part DID bother me, everyone's performance seemed way, way, way too restrained. There were very, very few emotional highs in the film--and even those were curiously subdued. To me, that's what's curious about this "Curious Case"---why such an excellent film pulled its emotional punches throughout the film. As a result, when it should have been exciting, it wasn't...or not nearly enough. Still, it's well worth seeing...it has some lovely romantic elements and is a sweet film.

"One of the best movies of 2008"

[mikes-movie-review-onlin · 8/10 · 15 April 2012]

F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' has been transformed into a splendid film by David Fincher. A marvelously made film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of the best movies of 2008. The cast is terrific and director David Fincher beautifully puts together the tale of Benjamin's life. The only large flaw many will find is that the concept of the film's premise seems too unrealistic.

The film tells the life of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt). Born as an old man, Benjamin ages backwards; gradually getting younger as those around him age normally. Benjamin is abandoned at birth and picked up at an old-age home. As a child - or rather as a hunched over 80 year old - he meets a girl named Daisy (Cate Blanchett). Together they engage in innocent child games, and through this they develop a special connection. As Benjamin goes off into the world, Daisy continues to grow up, later pursuing her dream of dancing. Benjamin joins a crew and sails round the world, ending up in Russia. Then, after Pearl Harbor, Benjamin joins in the war effort, following battles across the north Pacific and only engaging in one combat situation.

Returning to New Orleans, Benjamin has grown taller, lost many of his wrinkles, and grown more hair. The visual effects are spectacular in following Brad Pitt through the various stages of his life. From an old man to a young teen, Benjamin always resembles Pitt. Upon arrival in his childhood home, Benjamin learns that many of the tenants he knew have passed on. This is the tragedy of aging backwards, those you knew continue to age forward as they exit this world while you do the opposite. Benjamin also meets Daisy again, who after many years has become a successful dancer and has blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Long gone is the innocence of childhood, and Daisy has become intimate with many men in New York City. Missing by an inch, she and Benjamin do not initiate a relationship until later in the film.

Narrated from the present, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starts with Daisy's daughter reading Benjamin's diary to her mother in a hospital on the cusp of Hurricane Katrina. This allows the narration to occasionally halt for an elderly Daisy to comment on events of her life. A key motif running throughout this film is time. Beginning and ending with sequences about the same clock, David Fincher seems to allude to the notion that things fade, and that we must hold on to the things we love in the time we have with them.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a fantastic film. Beautifully created, David Fincher paints an image of the south of the United States in the early 1900s which seems both realistic and fantastical. The film also illustrates war, travel, death, and many of the other events of life. Brad Pitt shows emotional depth as Benjamin, and Cate Blanchett is terrific as Daisy. It is surprising how much we can take away from a 166 minute movie, the audience feels as if they have known Benjamin and Daisy for all of their lives. While some may question the premise of the film, arguing that time is linear and that the plot is therefore incoherent, there can be no arguing that this film does its best to develop human relationships and to establish emotional connections between characters. As Roger Ebert once said, "A film is not about its subject; it's about how it's about its subject", and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button certainly handles its subject material splendidly.

a truly wonderful and powerful film

[Jamie_Seaton · 10 August 2009]

if you've not watched this film yet then go see it, its a beautiful film. brilliantly crafted by one of my favourite and best directors around "David Fincher"...... both the leads in this should of won Oscars, especially Brad Pitt. Just seeing him going through the aging process backward in the film is beyond brilliance. Cate Blanchett is very good too as the women Brad Pitts character loves in the film. All of the actors really give it their personnel best in this timeless classic. The film is fairly straight forward even though it is weird, Brad Pitts character was born old and through the years of his life he starts to grow younger and younger. It's just an epic journey through the life of what this man comes across. The film is on for about 3 hours but when I watched it that time went very quick. I do think longer films are so much better than short ones for the fact that they are more descriptive and you can get amazed by the story more. I'm so glad this won 3 Oscars even though it could have won more. It's not Fincher's best work but it's sure a film that won't be forgotten........ 10/10....... j.d seaton

An Astonishing Rarity

[acksurfer101 · 10/10 · 26 December 2008]

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a film unlike any I've ever seen and probably ever will. A true epic that left me utterly speechless. It accomplished so much through such simplicity. Everything was top notch from the elegant directing to the subtly wonderful performances down to the magical score. The film demands you to feel not only for the death we witness, but for the incredible life we discover. It prays on the obvious morality issues we all deal with but also dangles the idea in front of us that everyone goes through the same joys and grievances, just not in the same way. This is a momentous tale that deserves nothing less than the title of brilliance.

This visually and emotionally rich movie recalls the life of a very peculiar man born in the early 20th century who ages backwards. His tale unfolds through a diary read by the daughter of his love, Daisy. Throughout life he goes through the same things we do, growing up and eventually growing old. He's a thoughtful observer, discovering life from all different angles. But it is not his life that makes him unique. His love is what makes him special. He spends a lifetime trying to understand how his love for Daisy works and still only gets a few incredible years really loving her. As their lives tell us, the years of frustration and hardship are all worth it if only for a few moments of happiness.

The direction in the film is almost flawless. Hopefully, Benjamin Button will garner David Fincher the recognition he deserves. He winds this clock so well and with such grace that the movie has this undeniable flow that is enjoyable from start to finish. At nearly 3 hours, there is not a minute wasted. Every shot is jaw dropping and while some will find issue with the time, it is used wisely.

The acting is also a thing of wonder. This is by far Brad Pitt's best performance. He is so believable and realistic throughout. His nuances are spot on and despite the heavy use of make-up and CGI used to portray his character, it is Pitt who makes Benjamin that much more curious.

I left the theater astonished that some one could review this movie badly. It is an extremely graceful depiction of life, love, and the things we lose. After so much anticipation I was certainly not disappointed. This movie is probably not for everyone though. It's not your average drama that spoon feeds it's audience their emotions. It is something of awe and astonishment, an absolute gem. What makes our lives memorable are the moments we never seem to grasp long enough before letting go. Life in itself is indeed very, very curious and Benjamin Button is no less of a wonder.

not much to say

[blanche-2 · 10/10 · 28 September 2013]

I don't have too much to say about this film, except that it was one of the most beautiful, touching, poignant, and bittersweet films I have ever seen.

Benjamin Button lives his life in reverse. Despite this, it's a great life, full of adventure and love and learning. He finds out that no matter what, it's the people who make life so special.

The film is beautifully photographed and true to the periods it represents.

Brad Pitt is fantastic, and those CGI and makeup techniques for him and the rest of the cast are marvelous. It's a tribute to the film that it's very organic to the cast so we are not aware of makeup and CGI. Cate Blanchett is incredible; she is a dying, old woman in the beginning and gives a tremendous performance.

We're born helpless and without life memories, and some of us die that way. In a way, I guess, it doesn't matter if you're born old or die old - it's like Benjamin tells Cate Blanchett in the film, you'd still end up where you are now. The life experience, the people you meet, the wisdom you acquire, all happens -- and it happened to Benjamin at a time when he could really value it. But as he points out: "For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it."

It's a Wonderful Life

[moviemanMA · 10/10 · 21 December 2008]

Before seeing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button I wondered how I would react to the story of a man who is born old and gets younger as he grows up. Of all of the stories I have come across, this is by far the most bizarre and intriguing. If i had to pick someone to bring this story to the screen I do no think David Fincher would have been my first choice.

How wrong I would have been. This film is by far one of the best if not the best of 2008. Fincher's direction is flawless! The film from start to finish does not let up. There are moments of joy and ecstasy followed by sorrow and understanding. Brad Pitt stars as Benjamin, a boy born an old man who must live his life in reverse. His friend from childhood, Daisy, is played by Cate Blanchett. The story is narrated from Benjamin's point of view with some particular highlights from Daisy.

The cast does nothing wrong. Pitt leads with Blanchett and a strong performance from Taraji P. Henson as Benjamin's surrogate mother Queenie, the only person in the world who seems to understand and truly love him from the start. Other cameos along the way bring a large array of characters, including Tilda Swinton, one of Benjamin's early love interests.

The film spans from the end of World War I to the the arrival of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. The transitions from life stage to life stage and decade to decade are seamless. Fincher does a tremendous job at maintaining a steady flow of action and dialogue. There is not a dull moment in the film. The cinematography is superb and couples nicely with Fincher's style of accentuating certain colors to enhance a mood or moment.

There really is nothing wrong with this film. Even with a runtime of about 160 minutes, time just flies by, much like it does for Benjamin, only we are going forward. This is a tender and meaningful film you do not want to wish.

Fine-looking and well acted, but ultimately flat (possible spoilers)

[thorneer · 7/10 · 15 December 2008]

"The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" would seem to have everything going for it - major stars, an enormous budget, and a conceit that can't be beat. However, in the end it's that very conceit that hamstrings an otherwise wondrous piece of movie-making.

Fincher's characters tend to be psychos, paranoiacs, obsessives, some of whom struggle vainly against the darkness in their own souls, but many others who have embraced it. Benjamin Button is none of the above, and that's perhaps his problem. Button, born "under unusual circumstances" in 1918 New Orleans, spends his early life literally surrounded by death, raised, as he is, by an orderly in a home for the elderly. As a prematurely old man himself (an effect achieved by fantastic MOCAP work from Pitt), perhaps it's not surprising that as he grows into a body with which he may truly engage the world, he is more content to observe appreciably.

Now, this may be true to the spirit of the character, but unfortunately for Fincher and his screenwriter, Eric Roth, it doesn't make for very interesting cinema. At a recent screening, Roth referred to Button's character as the "anti-Gump", a classification that seemed both apt and problematic. This film will certainly earn comparisons to Robert Zemeckis' modern classic(also written by Roth), but where that film had a truly fascinating central character, who experienced as many mistakes and tragedies as victories and happiness, Fincher and Roth's protagonist is a cipher. There's a telling sequence around the middle of the film, where Button, by now a merchant seaman holed up in a dingy hotel in Murmansk, strikes up a relationship with a bored wife of a minor British official (Tilda Swinton). Unable to sleep, they meet each night for tea and good conversation (and later, sex). But instead of letting us hear what those conversations are about, he simply creates a montage, set to music, of various meetings fading into one another. By the time Swinton's character departs the film, we know next to nothing new about Benjamin other than that he has trouble sleeping and likes hot tea. The fact is that even Swinton's character, on screen for perhaps fifteen minutes, is more engaging. It's a frustrating glimpse of what might have been, had the filmmakers chosen to put the character before the gimmick, instead of the other way around.

Which brings us to Cate Blanchett. As Daisy, whom Benjamin meets as a young girl and who grows into a luminously beautiful and troubled ballet dancer, Blanchett shines as brightly as she ever has on screen. Unlike Benjamin, Daisy is not content to simply accept whatever life throws her way - she has dreams and attempts to act on them, and does her best to lead a normal, interesting life. Benjamin, passive as always, must quietly observe as she grows out of the playmate of his "youth" and into a somewhat headstrong woman who nonetheless possessed of enormous potential. His loyalty pays off, though, when circumstances bring them together again at a time when they both happen to be the same age - a fleeting moment, and one they will cherish. But again, the relationship between couple and audience is one-sided, because while we can see why Daisy would wish to return to the rock-steady loyalty of Benjamin, it's unclear what he feels about her other than a regard (she's certainly lovely enough). We are told in rather soggy voice-over narration (spread throughout the film) that Daisy is "the most beautiful person I'd ever seen", but that's all we'll get.

And so it goes, for nearly three hours. We cut frequently, and irritatingly, back to a modern-day hospital in New Orleans, where a dying Daisy asks her daughter (Julia Ormond) to read to her from Benjamin's diary as Hurricane Katrina pounds on the windows. There's something being said in these scenes about regret and the passage of time, but the appealing Ormond's character is one-note, and Blanchett seems nearly suffocated under pounds of old age makeup. It's from this diary whence springs Benjamin's narration, but, as Mr. Roth pointed out, Gump this ain't. Suffice it to say that the budget is up there on screen as we go on this strange trip through the twentieth century with Brad Pitt as our guide. A possibly unintentional (I doubt it) laugh arises mid-film when Benjamin finally reaches something around Pitt's own age. He strides into a garage in the mid-50's, decked out in leather jacket and shades, and whips a tarp off a motorcycle, on which he speeds out to the harbor to do some bare-chested sailing on a boat he builds himself (the shades remain on his head). It's a knowing wink to the wish-fulfillment of the casting - who wouldn't want their old crotchety husband to get younger and younger until they looked like Brad Pitt? - and a clever way to underscore the underlying tragedy of the situation. Sure, he looks like Brad Pitt in "Fight Club", "Se7en", "Thelma & Louise", but eventually he's going to look like Brad Pitt in "Cutting Class", and then Brad Pitt in seventh grade, and finally Brad Pitt as a toddler, and that's not so sexy.

Pitt does a fine job. It's a pity that Fincher, who has used him to such great effect twice before, didn't let him cut loose. Instead this is his most low-key performance since Meet Joe Black, in which he played Death, who was really just a nice young man curious about the world. Come to think of it, that's pretty much all that Benjamin Button is, and, if nothing else, he knows more about death than just about anybody around. Too bad that a film that means to affirm life turns out to be rather lifeless.

Fincher's Magical Masterpiece

[The_Amazing_Spy_Rises · 9/10 · 24 December 2008]

Possibly the most anticipated winter film of 2008, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a curious film indeed. It's got an intriguing and completely absorbing story, as well as my favorite director, David Fincher, on the top of his game. With "Button", Fincher cements his place as one of the best directors alive, as his film is nothing short of magical, mesmerizing, riveting, ground breaking, and ultimately, timeless.

When I first heard about this movie, I had to wonder...how was Fincher, the guy responsible for realistic, gripping, crime thrillers like Seven and Zodiac going to pull off the fantasy film of a lifetime? Armed with a massive budget, Fincher uses everything a director can use to craft the most charming and technically brilliant film of the year. It's a film to be cherished for ages.

"Button" has struck me like this because a recurring theme in the film is that age is only a number, and that we as people can choose what we do with our lives, no matter what our age is. What better way to tell this message than through a story where the titular character ages backwards, and must experience life in such a way? How does one fall in love when he could one day appear young enough to be his spouse's child? How does a 5 year old play with the neighborhood children when he's confined to a wheelchair stricken with old age? Fincher's epic explores our choices, lives, and the timelessness of life itself.

Brad Pitt plays the title role of Benjamin Button with a certain air of likability like he always does. While I felt he did a good job with the part, he didn't have to do much...Benjamin, fittingly, is a rather quiet character (I'd be willing to bet he narrates more than he actually talks in the film). In terms of acting, the film belongs to the ladies, Cate Blanchett and Taraji P. Henson in particular. Though Blanchett may seem overrated to some, there's no denying her unrivaled talent at playing a character as complex and deep as Daisy, and she pulls it off with ease and charisma. Taraji P. Henson will warm your heart as Benjamin's mother, as she's humorous, warm, and loving, so loving that I felt as if she was my mother.

The main complexity behind the film, especially with a director like David Fincher, is keeping the film grounded in reality, while maintaining the undeniable magic within. As a director, you don't want to lose too much of either quality, instead keeping a healthy balance of the two. I feel that Fincher accomplished this perfectly. He is mainly helped out by a magical score, and absolutely stunning cinematography (which immediately identified it as a Fincher film, because of the darkness and lighting of it).

Despite the wonder and awe of the film, mixed with the realism that Fincher always brings, the true allure of the film is not just Benjamin's aging problem, but the romance between Benjamin and Daisy, which is beautiful. Two people in love, regardless of age, time, or place. It's one of the most compelling romances of the year.

"Button" is also the most technically well made movie of 2008, as the true standouts are the Visual Effects and the Makeup, both of which are Oscar worthy. Pitt plays the character at almost every age, but it's almost impossible to tell when the CGI is being used on him. You know it's there, obviously, but you can't tell it's being used. When the transition is just smooth enough for the Visual Effects to be retired, but just rough enough to use makeup, it's absolutely perfect. If you've ever wanted to see Brad Pitt look 20 again, look no further, as the effects that make our actors young again (the same goes for Blanchett) are just as stunning as those that make them older.

Despite a long runtime, the film never drags. If I had to point out one thing I would've liked to have seen a little more of, it would've been more of Benjamin as a little kid, as I felt that was rushed (for those who don't know what I mean, I mean the last parts of the film when he's old, but his body is young). This doesn't hurt the film in any way, as it's just my wishful thinking.

I know I've used the word 'magical' a lot in this review, and don't think it's on accident. If I could pick one word to describe David Fincher's masterpiece, that would be it: magical. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is a captivating piece of art that shouldn't be missed by anyone.

A truly haunting, moving, and fascinating film.

[dvc5159 · 7/10 · 24 February 2009]

Brad Pitt makes his mark as an actor here as Benjamin Button, a man with a strange disorder - physically aging backwards. Along his emotional journey of life he encounters friends, family, loved ones, adventures, and most of all, chances.

Rarely has a film keeps the realism intact while still sustaining the magic of it. Truly, David Fincher and Pitt have created a film that is leaps and bounds ahead of its time. Taking a strange and fascinating tale and making it into one of the decade's very best films is something of an accomplishment.

Pitt, here, is an actor, not just a pretty face anymore. With the state-of-the-art visual effects at his hand, he pretty much carries the whole show. It is perhaps the first time since Andy Serkis' rendition of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, that great acting has eclipsed terrific special effects. You genuinely feel and sympathize for his character, rooting for him all the way. Pitt owns the film, in short. He and David Fincher make a great team, and they look unstoppable to create more terrific films.

For the supporting cast, Cate Blanchett plays the love interest of Daisy to great effect. Her tale with Benjamin's make them somewhat star-crossed lovers. I won't go that far into detail but you'll see much later into the film. Taraji P. Henson also shines as Benjamin's surrogate mother, who gives her son the support he needs. Not to mention Tilda Swinton as an early love interest.

The screenplay by Eric Roth is excellent. Told from Benjamin's point of view with some highlights by Daisy, there are no clichéd dialogs to be heard, and the script is filled with equal moments of joy, ecstasy, sorrow, and understanding. Some dialog here is timeless and quotable, such as the film's tag-line; "We are defined by opportunities, even by the ones we miss." When you age backwards, you get more chances rather than missing it. I love that and wish for it, but sadly that is what movies are made for. And if that is what you've been thinking after or during your viewing of this film, then this film has succeeded.

David Fincher is a tour-de-force of film-making. Straying away from gritty violent thrillers such as "Zodiac", the unmatched "Fight Club", and "Se7en", he takes a bizarre love story, the most expensive budget he's faced, and crafts a film with such substance and flair that he adds quality to the film. There are moments in the film which make it obvious Fincher is calling the shots. The paced is slow, but this allows us to absorb and be infatuated with the characters. There is not one dull moment in the film. It is constantly gripping and re-watchable.

Technically speaking, the cinematography and lighting is absolutely perfect; gorgeous to the eyes and senses, and while giving the right tone and feel to the film shows us director Fincher's trademark. Accompanying this is the beautiful and heart-wrenching score by Alexandre Desplat, which is absolutely flawless. The special effects are unique and well-made, and you'll find yourself confused to whether certain scenes were made with special effects or not. If you want to see actors when they were young this is the best rendition of effects possible, and I hope the future movies use more of this amazing technology to make their stars more bankable. The special effects deserve their Oscar for it is the best I've seen in any movie in 2008.

In short, it is a beautiful, tragic, and terrific movie. It is certainly timeless and will stand the test of time, and hopefully, age well like fine wine (no pun intended). This absolute gem deserves the nominations it gets, too bad it was released the same year as Slumdog Millionaire.

Overall rating: 9/10

"I was just thinking about how nothing lasts...and what a shame that is..."

[male_j08 · 8/10 · 25 December 2008]

I had been awaiting to see this movie for some time. Alas, it was Christmas Day and you bet I was there to see the movie on opening day. I set my expectations really high on this film. I expected nothing short of brilliance with a film coming from director David Fincher, director of the masterful "Zodiac" and screenwriter Eric Roth, writer of the classic "Forrest Gump". The acting is brilliant in the movie. Brad Pitt and the marvelous Cate Blanchett share a fire that resonates so effortlessly out to the audience. Other performances are notable as well, such as Taraji P. Henson's as Benjamin's mother, and Tilda Swinton's as Benjamin's first lover. Another notable achievement in the film is the visual effects; none of it is overdone and it is quite convincing. The music in the film is great as well. The haunting and mythical music is composed by Alexandre Desplat. One thing that did surprise me in the film was the amount of comedy present, but I guess comedy's needed for a tale with such sorrow. I really do think that this film is a classic. And I would go and see it again. When I was walking out of the theater, some people complained that the movie was very good, but that it was too long. I disagree; I actually didn't want it to end. It's the perfect film to watch all snuggled up in a blanket during the dead of winter. All things aside, this movie is about the short time we're given with life and how we are to make the most of it. Even with a story as fictional as Benjamin Button's, the message rings true.

Something beyond magical...

[LayerCake · 6/10 · 7 December 2008]

When I first heard that Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett's new film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was destined to join the "sweepers" at the 2009 Oscars I knew that I had to check the film out to see if the rumors were true. Go back in time a little to when the film was first announced. David Fincher (Fight Club, Zodiac) was set to direct with a script from Eric Roth (Munich, The Insider) based off of an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story of the same title. The aspects of the crew were locked and had me somewhat interested. Then the cast list was announced with Brad Pitt (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Twelve Monkeys) and Cate Blanchett (I'm Not There., Coffee and Cigarettes) headlining the list, to say the least, it had my attention. I rarely get hyped up for super-mainstream films anymore with all of the disappointments that have occurred in the past. Luckily enough I was given the chance to attend a press screening on December 4th for this film and left well, satisfied. Given the fact that I was underwhelmed by the trailers, being satisfied is certainly saying something.

Benjamin Button centers on the life of well, Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt). As he states throughout the film, he was born under unusual circumstances. Unusual does not seem fit to describe it. Absurd would be a more suiting for the strange predicament Button found himself in. Born at the same age of everyone else when they enter the world, he had one different trait that stood out like a great white shark in a fish bowl, he had the frail wrinkled skin of an old man. Not only that, all of his features were those of a ninety-year old man. How this happened, the film does not explain in scientific terms but rather labels it as a "miracle" which in retrospect, it certainly is. With the outside of an old man, but the mind of a new born, Button had quite the handicap to overcome as a child. He is raised by the loving Queenie (Taraji P. Henson) who runs a nursing home establishment. There he meets an assortment of characters that all effect his life in different way although one person seems to have more of an effect than the rest. A young girl named Daisy (Cate Blanchett) is the grand daughter of one of the elders residing in the home. There she befriends Benjamin and their epic tale of love begins.

Go into this film with an open minded because you are going to leave with an over flooded one as it is. The story carries so many twists and heart wrenching scenes that the viewer cannot help but become completely engrossed in the film. The main theme in the film is not death, forgiveness or love, but rather life. Life as whole. Every little detail, every experience we have is our life. What we witness is an almost complete documentation of Benjamin's life. One thing that the film did quite splendidly was when Benjamin stated in his narration that a certain person affected his life quite greatly. When the scenes with that person would initiate, the film's pacing would slow down and pay closer attention to his relationship with the person and the changes they caused in his life. A beautiful portrayal of the finer moments in life.

Even if you leave the film bitter there is one thing you cannot deny your love for. The technical aspects of the film. The make-up is the best I have ever seen in a film. The age progression of the actors is done incredibly well. Even the actors handled the age changing roles quite well. The costume design is also fantastic and will most likely take home the Oscar gold along with the make-up. Another notable technical aspect is Fincher's direction. He has never been nominated for the "coveted" Best Director before but he has a strong chance with this film. One of the film's sequences stands out above the rest as one of the greatest Fincher has ever directed. While I will not go into great detail about it, I will say that it involves a tug boat fending off a submarine and it is incredible. Alexandre Desplat who was the composer for the film creates a score that may not be one of the most memorable, certainly helps in creating the film's atmosphere, which is a poetic one. To fully describe the spell that the technical aspects cast over the film would be nothing short of mesmerizing.

While this may not be the best film of the year, it certainly is a film that will be remembered for quite some time. It's not "flawless" or a "masterpiece" but it is something grand, something magical. A film that can be experienced over and over again. One that does not undermine the intelligence of the viewer by repeating sloppy dramatic sequences that will only end up to the understandable conclusion of happiness. No, Benjamin Button is a film that understands the human mind and revels in it. Producing every bit of love, happiness, depression, confusion, hate, companionship that life provides us with this film is a tour-DE-force on most levels. Come Oscar time, this is the mainstream "masterpiece" of the year that is to be reckoned with. I can easily see it picking up nominations in most categories and winning them as well. Like I stated before, it is not the best film of the year, but is one that you should see to experience the wondrous life of Benjamin Button.

A disappointment

[robert-broerse · 4/10 · 28 December 2008]

The disappointment I feel is perhaps more for David Fincher's career than this film. Everything on the surface of 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' appears beautiful - the cinematography, the special effects, the make-up, the cast... everything is about eye candy. It is sweet but like sweets containing high glucose corn syrup, it leaves one irritable and certainly dissatisfied.

I find with most critiques of mainstream, big budget films those who fall into two camps - those taken in by the hype, by the surface of the film and those who feel and understand the film, aware of its flaws. It is the same with bestseller novels.

First of all, the concept of this film was unique. Let us at least take notice of F.Scott Fitzgerald who may or may not have stolen the idea/material from his wife Zelda (whom many scholars believe was the true genius and not her husband). Origins aside, the film has all the trimmings of previous work.

There are some people who are vehement about this being 'not Forest Gump'. I would stress the similarities between the two films and the fact Eric Roth wrote both.

Let us take note of the obvious:

Atypical hero: Forest Gump/Benjamin Button Love Interest Jenny/Daisy Mother (with similar accents) Hero's 'war involvement' Vietnam War/WWII Setting American South/American South Leitmotif Feather/Hummingbird

There are others but those are the most obvious. Let us also remind ourselves both films are narrated by the hero who both happen to have interesting and 'profound' observations about life and their lives.

But if it were simply a matter of being Forest Gump, then I would still have high praise for Benjamin Button. Not so. The majority of this film remains on the surface. Despite all the observations, despite the epic sweep of events that pass through the narrative, we as an audience are rarely allowed to go deeper. Again, the film was based on a unique idea but without the human psychology, without more background on several characters, I found it difficult to relate to any of these characters.

Benjamin Button. He is born old, he grows young. That's all we really know. He lives with old people, he learns to play the piano, he leaves home, he travels, he sees the world. Most of the narrative is about places and meeting people, rarely about being involved with others, what it means or feels like to relate to a world that sees him as old. He is an outsider. How does this feel? We don't really know as an audience. The film is entirely experiential, rarely psychological.

Daisy. We know she had a grandmother. We knows she loves to dance. But little else. What motivated her to dance, why did she love dancing? We don't know. And of course, why of all things did she not have a relationship with her daughter?

The relationship: A man returns from war. He meets a woman that used to be the girl he loved. The woman wants to seduce him. She attempts. He steps back. When this occurs in the film, we don't really understand the reasoning nor the purpose of the scene. Daisy is in town one day. Her and Benjamin go out together. Why is sex so important to Daisy? And why do we have to watch the two characters go back and forth before they land up together? When he visits her in New York, she is immature, a school girl attempting to get him jealous. Yet he is still attracted to her.

There are so many other questions I have about this film and so many things that simply do not make sense. The main one that comes to mind: if you are a dancer, someone who is professionally trained, why in any circumstances would you even think of dancing on a crowded street? The scene in which Daisy was hit by a car was for too unbelievable. She is first held up by a friend with a broken shoe lace. Daisy remains behind. In such a situation, when you have to wait for someone, the last thing you want to do is fool around after waiting. The scene felt convoluted and dumb - not tragic.

The montage in which Daisy and Benjamin find themselves together plays out like all other young lover clichés - they travel together, they make love, they buy a love, they make love in their home, they paint their home (there is a brief, albeit clichéd 'lovers painting the wall' scene ... yawn...seen it...). I didn't find this film to be magical, just a mosaic of previous formulas and scenarios. Benjamin 'youthens', he leaves her. He comes back later. Throughout the entire film, the audience really doesn't know or understand or get a sense of what it means to grow 'young' nor what kind of effect it might have on others.

I felt very tired after watching this picture. The first half was not bad. My interest was kept, I enjoyed the characters but when I started feeling lost and cheated, that I would never get any closer to the lives, feelings and deeper philosophies, and what with some of the frustrating scenes between Daisy and Benjamin, I began to grow impatient.

He "Youthens"

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 11 July 2010]

Other than F. Scott Fitzgerald's vivid description of how Benjamin Button has reversed the aging process in his life, there is nothing of his the plot of his story. But the idea behind the updated version is as vivid as when he put it to paper.

When Fitzgerald published the story it was 1927 probably at the height of the jazz age and his creative powers. As he wrote it, Bnejamin Button was born after the Civil War and lived through World War I. But he lived backwards as it were. In Camelot, King Arthur describes Merlin as not aging, but that he 'youthens'. That coined word describes just what happens to Benjamin.

When he's born he comes out of the womb a little old man, something like you might imagine Yoda if you can ever imagine him as a child. With all the usual problems of old age. But as he grows older chronologically, Benjamin loses all those infirmities gradually and gets younger and younger. Several actors play him before he finally morphs into Brad Pitt.

Which makes the achievement of director David Fancher all the more impressive. Although Brad Pitt was recognized with an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, the directing of several others almost in tandem to play the same role at different stages is a great achievement. Too bad he didn't get the Oscar for that alone although Fancher was nominated also.

In fact The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button got a flock of Oscar nominations including Best Picture as well as those mentioned. It won for Art&Set Direction, Visual Effects, and in fact if it hadn't won for makeup the Oscars should have been picketted that year.

Taraji Henson was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress. When Benjamin is born and his mother dies giving him birth and his father abandons him, the caregiver who is black takes him in to raise in her large and extended family. Given both his physical condition and the circumstances of his childhood, Benjamin had one unique perspective on life indeed. Henson is nothing short of fabulous in her portrayal.

Cate Blanchett who was overlooked in the Oscars for this role plays the woman whom he loves, but who is working her way up in physical age while Pitt is working down. The film is seen from both her's and his perspective as she tells her daughter to read from this diary that Benjamin kept. When they met at the middle though as Benjamin ran the bases backward through life, there love was real and really physical.

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is a remarkable achievement that gave some career roles to some fine players.

Do You Still Wish You Could Turn Back the Clock?

[alexkolokotronis · 9/10 · 27 January 2009]

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was a near epic film in almost the same way Forrest Gump was. I am not particularly a fan of David Fincher and his work. Yet I strongly admired The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. This film is about a man named Benjamin Button who leads much of an ordinary life under not so ordinary circumstances. The one thing that separates him from any other human being is that he ages backwards. Despite such large differences between the audience and Benjamin Button, the film finds a way to connect with a large variety of people in a way that does not seem to happen so often.

The acting was very good throughout the movie. Especially that of Cate Blanchett who seems to be turning out one great performance after another. She plays the role of Daisy, Benjamin Button's real love interest from start to finish. In fact she played so well it might have been a partial downfall to the movie. Her performance out shined that of the main character, played by Brad Pitt. Although Pitt was very solid in his performance I do not believe he deserved an Oscar nomination (rather Blanchett deserved one) for his role of playing Benjamin Button. He was not a necessity to the movie and did not add much to it. He was not bad but he wasn't spectacular. Throughout though many of the different actors and actresses lit up the screen. Especially Tilda Swinton who was wonderful to watch as Button's short lived love interest. Her presence was magical and a joy to watch. I would have loved to see just a little bit more of her character.

The directing of David Fincher in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was of what I believe to be his best work to date. The screenplay of Eric Roth was written very well as he has had experience with these type of movies. In many scenes the dialog and great direction combined for some epic scenes.

Ultimately I enjoyed this movie very much but something felt missing from the movie. Something seemed left unsaid that was vital. I felt that the great downfall to this movie was that Brad Pitt didn't give an amazing performance and did not take control of the movie rather Blanchett stole the show from him which made Button seem less important to me. Despite that though it this film was done very well and I would recommend it to all. Its an important story that makes us self reflect and think deeply. It displays how we need to live with our mistakes because they are part of our life. We need to appreciate what we have rather than wonder "what if...?".

A great, worth film

[h-rabbit · 10/10 · 24 February 2009]

This film is worthy of a 10/10 rating simply because of its imaginative and complex nature, I mean, I couldn't bring myself to know why this simple idea of a man aging backwards hadn't sprouted up before. Set all the way back at the end of the Great War, to New Orlean's meeting with Hurricane Katrina, this movie tells the story of Benjamin Button, a baby born an old man of eighty, destined to die in the mere form of a zero-year-old. I found this movie very emotional and special because there's reeally nothing like it. I honestly thought, when I found out the immense length of the film, it was going to be boring....I was wrong, it gripped me from start to finish. There are many emotional and touching scenes in it, including the end, where it brings forth Benjamin Button's 'younger' years as an old man. Nothing went wrong with the cast, Brad Pitt played a great job as a reverse-aging man, and Cate went well as his childhood friend. Overall, this movie was great and I recommend it to anyone who loves the genre.

"You never know what's coming for you."

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 20 February 2018]

I think this film works as an example of how ordinary human beings can do extraordinary things when they have a desire to overcome their limitations and seek out a greater world outside themselves. The story is a uniquely creative and original one, told from the perspective of one principal character aging normally, and the other regressing after having been born 'an old man'. Their lives 'intersect' at the age of forty three, at which point Benjamin (Brad Pitt) begins coming to grips with the idea that he and Daisy (Cate Blanchett) are ultimately destined to live out their lives in separate ways. I do have a problem though with the timing of Benjamin's departure. The movie did a terrific job of restoring him back to a youthful looking young man over time, and it seemed to me that he could have enjoyed at least a decade with his daughter before heading off to parts unknown. His admonition that he didn't want to be her 'playmate' seemed hollow when Caroline was just a small child and he was still in his thirties. So that part of the story I think could have been handled a bit better. But otherwise, I thought this was a cleverly written story that also managed to reflect warmly on the racial component of having Benjamin raised by a black woman (Taraji P. Henson) who he considered his Mama. Interjecting the story with those humorous moments of the seven times lightning man was also quite brilliant, lending some welcome comic relief moments to a story that tended to get somber at times.

Coldness and Warmth

[axlgarland · 7/10 · 10 January 2009]

Technically, like most of Davin Fincher's movies, "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" is a wonder. The curious saga of a man ageing backwards, gives Fincher the possibility of doing what he does best, tricks. It is the drama part that he doesn't seem to master or perhaps he doesn't care. "Zodiac" was his most coherent dramatic venture. Here he gets infatuated by the CGI and manages some spectacular punches but it is thanks to Brad Pitt the the exercise has a soul. He is truly remarkable. He manages to overcome the distraction of the gadgetry and show us the interior of the man. Brad Pitt's warmth wins over David Fincher's coldness and the most successful parts of the film are reflected in Brad Pitt's eyes. Geared towards an inexorable ending, there are moments of real beauty and tenderness. I'm convinced those moments could have been captured with a Super 8. The over direction of Fincher puts the emotional undertone in real jeopardy but, thankfully, the overall experience is mostly a welcome and rewarding one.

Clockworks

[tedg · 25 December 2008]

Fincher understands cinematic narrative construction and has the craft to match. I fell under his spell during "Fight Club."

The idea there was to play a game with inner narrative. It was, I think when Pitt first found his way into full collaboration with a director's adventure with the shifting of watcher and writer. That made Pit a real actor in my book. Fincher has played with other devices since. "Panic Room" was architectural, at least to begin. "Zodiac" twisted the detective story in odd ways.

Here he works with one of the most basic challenges in film: how to show the internal workings of a mind in emotional seas. The conventional way in literature is easy enough for us now: we read about what we believe are the inner ruminations and remembrances of a mind. But that makes for bad films -- where we have all sorts of talk, explanations in words instead of immersion in experience through the visual grammar. These are the worst.

But what if you want to tell a real love story? One of real love, deep love, impossible love? What if you want it directly from the lover's hearts and don't want some metaphoric overlay, some watered down convention? Well, you might try this collection of devices, these two.

First there is the inter-nested story. We have the framing narrative of the clockmaker and his love. (This, incidentally, is one way to show love, to conflate it with something visual, like clocks, stations, hurricanes, lightning.) We leave that and come to an inner framing story, a dying woman still calculating, revealing secrets to a daughter. This is actually a pretty conventional setting as well. We revisit it enough to allow for an excuse for her to "read" from a diary, the excuse for us to hear the inner thoughts and emotions of Benjamin. This one device gives blanket allowance, and the casual viewer will scarcely notice that we get the inner beats of the woman's heart as well, in her own "words."

This is combined with the more visible device of two lover's lives running in opposite directions. We go forward while the story is recalled as double memory, triple if we credit Ormand's character (the daughter) as the one going in reverse. And this IS conveyed cinematically by the somewhat hypnotic device of seeing the familiar face of Brad Pitt reverse age. It sounds simple, this concoction, but I imagine it to take the focused efforts of all involved, including the two women: our most talented folding actors (both redheads here) Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton.

Along the way, Fincher almost teases us with what he does not do. There is the "Doctor Zhivago" route not taken, the war movie route, the dancer (performance as love), the Ron Howard play ("Cocoon"), the Spielberg play, in fact all the possible ratholes that all the possible directors who were once attached would have gone down.

Yes, it is slow. Love is. Yes, it is difficult, but this love is -- all deep love is. All lasting love is a passing moment, captured and nurtured internally while it tries its best to vanish.

Is this the best, truest love story in ages? Yes, probably. Will it change you? Possibly, depending on where your heart passes.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

More Moving Than I Expected It To Be

[ghpilato · 10/10 · 4 January 2009]

'Twas amazing. Best effects film in ages (not just awesome effects, but a real movie magic feeling comes from this that we kinda take for granted in the 21st Century with effects today). Ages, being really, I guess, since event effects films like Titanic, The Matrix, Jurassic Park and Forrest Gump. Not about animation, where amazing things happen every year in film, e.g.Wall-E, but visual effects blending with real live action. Along the lines of the successes of the Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films recently. But those are so filled with animation and obviously computer-enhanced realities that the "magic" one feels by the use of less effects to create more illusion is a bit missing. Course, this was not about Two-Face in The Dark Knight stuff, not just like that with its half live action, half animated face, or even like a fully believable Golem in LotR, this was a movie where everything was fairy tale and everything was immediately touched with a sense of photographic trickery, but where you just couldn't tell exactly what was make-up and what was CGI, or what was an illusion or real... even though a lot of the tricks are clearly there. You know you're looking at Brad Pitt's face on an actor who is probably about 10 yrs old, with CGI and makeup all doing their best, but you're just not interested in thinking about that. Subjective of course, that's just what I felt. Plus, the movie was really eloquent on the subjects of our perception of age and beauty. It's a tragedy though. Like Forrest Gump in some ways, even if Forrest Gump was a cultural satire and a journey through the American Experience since the 60s, this was a similar feat of storytelling on film. Won't say much more, don't want any spoiling here. Verging on "a little too perfect", though, also... and I do some negative criticisms, but you should definitely see it...

Overrated. Overrated. Did I Mention Overrated?

[ZookGuy · 7/10 · 31 December 2008]

As of this writing, Benjamin Button is number 70 on IMDb's Top 250 movies of the year list. Many people believe this film deserves, in a year with films like Frost/Nixon and Doubt (and many others which I will not mention) that this is the one film which will bring home Best Picture.

Wow. This is overrated. It will bring home the Oscars it deserves: Cinematography and Makeup, and if it's very, very, lucky, Special Effects.

What bugs me most about the film is the thing at the core: the relationship between Daisy and Benjamin. It misses something very, very, important: why they fell in love in the first place.

The most interesting section is one that completely captivated: when he has a love affair with a lady at the Russian hotel, why? Because they kept it at a brisk 30 minutes so it doesn't drag on for 2 hours, it gets you captivated, and it ends when it is meant to end. You can also tell why they had the affair in the first place: they wanted to find out to what it was like to be in love, or in the girls case: Benjamin's strange affliction.

You (or at least me) become sick of Benjamin's relationship with Daisy when you realize it fails to ask the most important question at what is the dead center of the entire 2 hour 48 minute film: Why did they fall in love???

Pitt gives a tolerable performance, nothing Oscar worthy. Blanchett, on the other hand was very good as Daisy, trying to fuel the chemistry with Pitt that just isn't there.

It's also very long with a 168-minute runtime, it thinks it can spend all the time trying to win, but in the end, it fails. There are many useless scenes that could've been thrown out (particularly this one scene in which it shows all the things, which could've happened to prevent Daisy being hit by a cab, which leaves you thinking in the 5-minute section that feels more like 30 minutes which left me thinking "when will this end???").

Worth a rental for the astounding cinematography and makeup.

Some Things Last

[Absyrd · 10/10 · 26 December 2008]

After having developed pretty much the most successful directorial career of the decade, Fincher just refuses to hold back his enormous talent, always picking the risky projects and churning out an exhilarating piece of work. He's come a long way as it is, and then comes along the curious "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". The title speaks for itself. The result can be anything between a predictable romantic drama, or a stirring, magical, unforgettable, heartbreaking, intelligent, challenging experience. I'm sure you can tell which direction I'm headed.

Oh, what a curious case indeed. The film begins as a child, born on the day of the end of the Great War (symbol of the beginning of life?), is abandoned by his father outside a boardinghouse dedicated for seniors. It is quickly revealed that he was born ugly and wrinkled (not quite the appearance of a child, but "still a child of God"). We don't find out immediately that he will lead his life physically aging backwards, but it is gradually revealed as he grows older, when his back begins to take shape and his wheelchair is rendered useless.

What ensues after developing his bizarre nature, however, is the true core of this absolutely spellbinding masterpiece. There is always a lingering dread that his relationships will never work beyond their limited time frame, but its characters are driven by soul, not any shallow desires. The heart of the film is the relationship between Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Will their love survive their difficult circumstances? Mortality is the key theme of this picture, the adamant difference between young and old age. Transience is man's greatest weakness.

Although it's a pretty glum and straightforward thing to say that nothing lasts, the film does not depict itself through false optimism, but rather through hope. Hope that beneath these torn souls, there is the chance of wisdom and love overcoming mortality, and it culminates a damned poignant realization. There is also a playful theme to summarize the entire film -- no matter which way you age, life will always f-ck you. Tell that to the millions of women undergoing their midlife crisis, I guarantee the results will not be pretty. I'm getting off- track now, so let me just say this is possibly the best film of the year, and many years to come.

An interesting premise that drags.

[UnbiasedAnonymous · 6/10 · 6 August 2022]

The film is surprisingly vague in themes outside of the ones that hit you on the head. It never attempts to answer the elephant in the room, and I think that was the right choice, instead focusing on its characters, allowing the audience to interpret their experiences for themselves and how it relates to their own perspective on mortality.

The film does look beautiful but is fairly unambitious. For a film opening up so many different conversations, it would have been nice to see the director take more risks to enforce them.

The acting in this film is mostly great with Taraji P. Henson and Tilda Swinton being standouts, although Brad Pitt gives one of the stalest Oscar nominated performances I have ever seen. He looks bored throughout most of this movie, making it hard to relate to his character, a huge disappointment to watch compared to his other great works.

The main issue with the film for me is its length, having a near 3 hours runtime where some stories drag unnecessarily.

A well-made fantasy drama that I am unlikely to rewatch.

The Curious Case of Conflict Avoidance

[Egg_MacGuffin · 1/10 · 12 January 2009]

I don't understand the appeal of this film. It has no plot (which is not necessarily a bad thing. Another Fincher/Pitt collaboration from 1999 comes to mind), the protagonist has no goal, and the film basically has no conflict.

Massive Spoilers Below.

Button is a FREAK. You would think his life would be a living hell full of torment and meaty conflict...but no. Button's life is wonderful. He rarely encounters hardship.

He gets abandoned by his father, who shows up later and gives Benjamin everything he owns. He is taken in by a loving woman who cares for him every step of the way, keeping him far from anyone who would consider him to be a freak. He lives the good life growing up...or would it be down? He gets a job handed to him while sitting on a bench (a job that he loves so much that he would have done it for free, but he's getting paid!). He travels the world feeling no ill effects and not being taunted or ridiculed one single time for his disorder.

Most difficult situation he encounters is being left without a life jacket when the tugboat encounters a German WWII sub, which the tugboat ends up defeating with such ease and rapidity, Benjamin doesn't even have time to do anything but crouch down for a minute and hide. The lack of a life jacket doesn't even come into play at all. A set-up with no pay-off. What was the point of that? The episodic nature of the story makes it difficult to remember whether Tilda Swinton's character showed up before or after Benjamin went to war, but it doesn't even matter. Swinton has an affair with Button, but Swinton's husband is a spy! Oh shlt? Nope. That is another set-up without a pay-off. More conflict avoided. It's an affair without any repercussions.

The closest the film comes to a plot is the love story between Daisy and Benjamin, which is also the closest the film comes to displaying any sort of real conflict. Benjamin goes to New York to surprise Daisy only to find out she is with someone else. She rejects him. Benjamin goes to Paris. Daisy rejects him again. However, the rejections are only temporary, and Daisy forgives him entirely. More conflict avoided.

From there on, they live a wonderful life. There is even a montage showing how wonderful their life together is. Neither one has to deal with any sort of conflict for a while. They just have sex and fun all day long. They eventually end up having a child together, and Benjamin decides to walk out on them to avoid the possibility of conflict arising from the fact that he will eventually grow young and Daisy will have to care for both of them.

So despite his radical disorder (that nobody even really comments on, let alone ridicules him over), Benjamin goes through what some would consider a perfect life. He ends up with everything he wants and doesn't even have to work to get it.

Hell, I wish I was born backwards so my life would be free and easy.

How could a story with a concept so ripe with conflict completely avoid it?

A Masterpiece

[Casablanca3784 · 10/10 · 2 January 2009]

Brad Pitt is not just another handsome guy who's made it big in film. This guy is one hell of an actor who'll walk away with this year's Best Actor Oscar as will the movie garner 10 awards. It is simply a masterpiece; no words can aptly decribe the poignancy and beauty of this celluloid Renoir.

Kudos to two geniuses who wrote it;Eric Roth and Robin Swicord,masters of imagination. To think of the idea whereby the march of time runs clockwise for the entire world but backwards for Benjamin is, in itself, masterful. The concept allows for the type of intersection of people and events which has never been shown on the screen previously.

I suggest that no one reads anything about the plot because the entire impact of the film will be lost by doing so. See it with an open mind and you will be totally astounded for close to three hours. Every once in a while, a film of this brilliance comes along to take the public by storm, the last being "Million Dollar Baby," therefore get set for another movie treat of a lifetime.

Simply stated: this film is NOT to be missed.