The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Joe Kenny's Thoughts:

The release of the film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was something I was looking forward to for years. In it entailed the reuniting of great director David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven) with this long time partner Brad Pitt (Fight Club, Burn After Reading). Together these two made classic films such as Seven and Fight Club. When I first heard of these talented men working together again I immediately thought that a great film would come of it. Even though Fincher’s immediate work hasn’t been his best, I still had great confidence in him, knowing of his capabilities. The movie is based on a F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, which heightened my excitement for the project. I decided to read the short story before the release of the film with the idea that I would become even more excited for this movie, if that was possible. The story is about a man who is born elderly and ages in reverse. When I finished reading the story I thought to myself that it was a little vague and that whomever was writing the film would pretty much have to create their own story line for the title character. I then decided to find out who had written the screenplay for the film. I quickly learned that it was Eric Roth (Forrest Gump). I knew that he had written the awful script of Forrest Gump but I was willing to give this blemish a pass simply because it seemed that Fincher and Pitt saw something in the script. I patiently waited for the release and this Christmas it finally came. If anyone saw it before me I wouldn’t let him or her give their thoughts on the film because I didn’t want to be influenced at all before I went through the doors in the theater. The day finally came and I rode in the passenger seat of my mother’s car to the theater. I then sat down in the poofy chair giddy as a schoolboy waiting for the masterpiece to start. The film opened with an almost dead Cate Blanchett and her daughter in a hospital. Obviously there were going to be inter-cuts of this nonsense throughout the whole movie, I thought to myself. Then came the story of this clockmaker who made a clock that clocked backwards. While I thought the clock story was interesting, it served no purpose for the film other than the fact that the clock goes backwards and so does Benjamin’s life. In my opinion the film should have opened with the birth of Benjamin Button. I also feel that all the scenes with Cate Blanchett’s daughter and her in the hospital should have been taken out. It was just a story telling device that served no purpose for the film. I began to become skeptical, and thought that maybe Roth’s ways would hurt the film. But as the film continued I began to enjoy it. Fincher and his crew did a masterful job creating marvelous sets that take us back to the early 1900s. Also, the acting at the beginning by Taraji P. Henson puts a smile on everyone’s face. And Benjamin’s stories while living in a retiree’s home after his birth were very fun. As the film continues Benjamin’s quirky encounters with quirky people keep you happy the whole way though. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an enjoyable film, but did not meet my high expectations.
I think the biggest problem with the movie is the script. I already mentioned the unimportant story of the clockmaker, and the ridiculous scenes between Cate Blanchett and her daughter. While the script has many good points for example the use of Benjamin’s physical looks in contrast to his actual age when making jokes. For example the captain of a tugboat that Benjamin is working on asks Benjamin if he has ever been with a woman, (code for have you ever had sex with a woman) Benjamin being the age of seven answers no, and the captain answers saying that’s the saddest thing he’s ever heard, thinking that Benjamin is seventy because of his physical looks. These types of jokes appear often in the film and they are funny. But while the way Benjamin ages is interesting, his life isn’t, and I think that’s the problem with the script. All kinds of events occur in the film, but the story revolves around Benjamin’s love interest, which is Daisy, who is played by Blanchett. While watching the film I began finding myself looking around the theater becoming uninterested. I think it’s very difficult to write a film that spans over such a long period of time, because when the audience goes from situation to situation it becomes hard for them to get emotionally attached to the main character and the people who surrounded him or her. I think that was the problem with Benjamin Button.
This review is already too long, but in closing I will say that Brad Pitt was good, but he wasn’t great simply because the character didn’t challenge him at all. Fincher’s work was very good and I expect him to be nominated for a dolphin and I think he could win. I think Roth is not a very good writer, although this is one of the better scripts his written. I recommend for anyone to view the film Benjamin Button, because even with it flaws, it keeps you smiling.