The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

December 25, 2008

Jays Rating:
Actors: /
Director:

David Fincher directs one of the best films of the year in the fascinating drama The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. As Hurricane Katrina is about to hit New Orleans, an old lady named Daisy (Cate Blanchett) is about to die but gives her daughter Caroline (Julia Ormond) a diary to read about her life and the man she loved named Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt). The story begins in 1918, the same day World War I ends and the birth of a baby with arthritis, wrinkled skin and the face of a man in his 80’s. His mother dies after childbirth and his father Thomas Button (Jason Flemyng) leaves the baby on the doorstep of a retirement home run by Queenie (Taraji P. Henson). After about ten years, the baby named Benjamin who now looks about 70, meets a young 10 year old girl named Daisy who has come to visit her grandmother and they soon become friends. When Benjamin is about 20 years old – but looks about 60 – he leaves home to work on a tugboat during World War II. Months later, while staying in a hotel, he meets the wife of a British official named Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton) for hot tea, long talks and lovemaking. One morning he awakens to find Elizabeth gone. Benjamin never forgets Daisy and when they finally reunite they are both about the same age. They marry, have a child and face a tough decision. This film is magical, intriguing, and deserving of multiple Academy Award nominations. The film is just shy of three hours in length – some might say it’s too long – but I don’t know what could have possibly been cut out. (Folks with short attention spans should stick to the Three Stooges.) The directing and editing is perfect with the story lingering through some time periods and rushing through others. Historic scenes feel authentic and it has the perfect mix of dialogue, action and humor. I’m still not sure if the flash backs from Hurricane Katrina were really necessary, but I’m just a blind movie critic. This is a warm, heartfelt, thought provoking film and I’m giving it an A rating.

This movie has been given a PG-13 rating by the MPAA

Although I am blind, I can appreciate a good movie as well as sighted individuals.
I rely more on a good story line than special effects.