KEAGAN BROOKS

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Directed by David Fincher

Starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of the year’s most anticipated Hollywood movies:  it combines fairytale-like situations with everyday issues like acceptance and individuality.

By now, I am sure you have heard the premise of this movie.  Benjamin Button is born as an 85 year old man, and ages in reverse to infancy.  This leads the main character through a series of both obstacles and opportunities, as you can imagine.

I won’t repeat the outline of the story here, as that is readily found anywhere, and you have probably seen the trailers.  I just want to go over some of its strengths and weaknesses.

First off, the movie is fascinating.  Well executed effects and interesting story make for one 3 hr movie you don’t mind sitting through.  Whenever you start to get bored, a new problem, or a new phase in life creeps up to provide more drama.  Cate Blanchett is, as always, wonderful, however, Brad Pitt leaves much to be desired.  I understand that he was playing a simpler person, often in situations over his head and beyond his understanding, but I still feel like a little depth from Pitt would have gone a long way.  It seemed that he really had no personality, he was a rehashing of Forrest Gump, plus the aging difference.  This was the first disappointment.  The second act of the movie also seemed to drag.  While Button is aging, either at the beginning or the end of the movie, everything remains very interesting.  However, when Button is simply a middle aged man trying to court his childhood girlfriend, everything seems to fall flat.  It just went on and on.  Pitt didn’t even seem to mind when Blanchett repeatedly ditched him and ran off with other guys.  It was just a bit empty feeling.

Overall, it was very interesting, and definitely worth seeing.  Don’t expect a ton out of it, and it will be good to you.  I found the similarities to the Forrest Gump story all to apparent, and seeing as they are from the same screenwriter, I am not surprised.

5.9/10