L'Étrange Histoire de Benjamin Button

I always get a teary eyed when watching this movie. It always leave a different moral lesson after finishing it. I have no idea why this movie keeps getting better as you get older - until recently where I realized this movie has a way of showing you the right path when you lost your way; motivates you when you are down; accompanies you when you are alone; reminds you to appreciate what you have and not to take things for granted; cheers you up when you're feeling blue; gives you hope when all seems lost. If I were given the opportunity to write my own dictionary, this movie is the definition of perfection. This movie deserved to have a rating of at least 9.0 and it is quite rare for me to review a movie - let alone expressing my feelings in public, hell I have never done it until now. This movie really has earned a place in my heart. I will forever cherish this movie and will watch it to my children and theirs. I hope you guys do too.

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.

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.

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.

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