The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a anti-ageist fable, a love story, and a hopeful eulogy to pre-Katrina New Orleans. It's Big Fish and Forrest Gump mixed together to create an imperfect, but still decent film.
I was never bored, and that's saying a lot for a film that's almost three hours. I was, however, initially very distracted by the creepy CGI. I'd never noticed Brad Pitt's odd slow blink, until this movie's CGI copied it, all too well. And the mouth movements were very Polar Express. The dubbing on the first few child actors was also distracting to me.
The cinematography and costuming are gorgeous, with Tilda and Cate donning some classy period garb. The acting didn't knock my socks off, but it served it's purpose. The screening audience was for the most part, riveted. Two couples left early, but the audience that stayed applauded, as the credits rolled.
There are little details that I really liked, especially when it came to the best of the central romance and on the matter of age and death, but I'm treading into spoiler territory, if I go into it.
It was good to see a long absent, popular 90's female actor make her reappearance in this, refreshingly surgery-free. It was definitely in keeping with the film's theme, which is hammered home pretty hard.
I was disappointed with the rose-colored tinge the issue of race was given for the period, but I also understood that it was part of the fantasy element. By and large, I think that may be my biggest criticism of this movie, the candy-coated preciousness of it.
Just like Forrest Gump and it's bright-smiley, positive, spin on mental illness, so this is, on the topics of age and death. If you loved Forrest Gump, you'll delight in it. If you had those afore-mentioned issues with Gump, then you may have the same problems here.
Still, it's solid.
It's well-worth a movie-outing.I'm still waiting for a movie to really kill it, this season. ...I'm crossing my fingers for Doubt.
PARENTS: The savvy tweens should be fine with this. Sex, swearing, and violent death are all there, but handled with surprising modesty.
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5 comments:
I just was a little put off about the Forest Gump comments, believe it or not. First of all, I wouldn't classify him in the same catagory as an obvious mentally Ill person such as Charlse Manson, Psychopathy is an illness, or sickness by deffinition. Forest Gump was slow, NOT an illness, or sickness. I guess my point is that there are people who are very upbeat even with a "slow" child. My brother is mentally retarded (again not ill), he is the most loving person you would ever have the pleasure of knowing. My cousin is as well, though not born slow. He stopped breathing at 2, lack of oxygen caused brain damage, again not an illness and again a very happy, completely "normal" family. So yes, I take issue with anyone who says that the smiley aspect of Forest Gump is a bad thing. I applaud a movie that finally portrays life with a mentally slow person as something other than a burden, or too full of pit falls to be worth living.
Thank you for letting me vent!
MC from Ga.
@MC
Okay, I'm guessing my point wasn't clear.
It happens often, so, no biggy.
I'm not talking about the fact that Forrest Gump, the character, was upbeat. I'm talking about the sugar-coating the whole issue/movie had.
It's a similar criticism I had for Slumdog Millionaire on the issue of third-world poverty.
Some people get cavities from too much sugar. Or at least their eyes get stuck from rolling too hard when movies have too much of it.
I'm all about bittersweet. Movies that don't always have that glossy fairytale glow.
I'm a romantic like that. But I know the sugar can be good too. Amelie, The Princess Bride, Spielburg, etc...
And anyway, I'm just warning folks who might be put off by that vibe.
Thanks, for the comment.
Your point is definitely a good one and I'm glad the few who read this will see it.
I cannot WAIT for this movie. I even downloaded the trailer music. All the reviews I've been reading have been fantastic (no-one's been mean), and I just ... is it Christmas yet?
@thecolourclear
You won't be disappointed. It's a good one. :D
Cate Blanchett with a southern accent FTW; but Benjamin Button kept dragging on, always pausing dramatically on Brad Pitt's face, a lot like Meet Joe Black, FTL
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