Title: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett
Release: December 25, 2008
Country: America
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rated: PG-13
First Viewing: May 19, 2009
The film follows the life of Benjamin Button who was born as an old man and gets younger over time.
A poem of a life in reverse, that is the essence of this film to me. I felt pulled along a winding path of beauty and mystery much like reading a really good poem. Leisurely, we follow the discoveries and the losses, the celebrations and tragedies. Pitt embodies this unhurried and deliberate stream of events, maintaining an evenness of depth that adds to the mood of the film as a whole. Actually, I think that is one of the successes of the film; everything worked together to create this mood. The acting, the sound, the cinematography and juxtaposition of images, the storytelling, even the color tones, all flowed over and around each other forming a cohesive experience for the viewer.
That being said, I have to agree with the many people who have said that the film may be a bit reminiscent of Forrest Gump. To me, Button was more fluid and more...warm, but it took very little watching time before I was reminded of Gump. I still haven't decided if the similarities between the two films are merely superficial and unimportant or well, not. Eric Roth did write the screenplay for both films.
Finally, I just can't seem to figure out why Hurricane Katrina was part of the film. That annoyed me a bit. Can anyone explain?
Rating: 4/5
I really enjoyed this movie... but I have no explanation for why Hurricane Katrina was a part of the film :)
ReplyDeleteTara - It was such a strange little addition in my mind. The only part of the film I didn't like.
ReplyDeleteI liked this, but didn't love it. Until you mentioned it it never crossed my mind to think twice about Hurricane Katrina, so I'm obviously clueless :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the movie yet, but naturally I had to read the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It's a strange little tale, so hadn't thought the movie would be good, but maybe I'll give it a try.
ReplyDeleteStacy - That's too bad about not loving it; although it is a slow-moving film, so I know quite a few people were a bit bored during it.
ReplyDeleteDave and Tami - I haven't read the story yet, but I love the "strange little tale" idea.