The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Reviews

On a technical level this movie is amazing. David Fincher tries new boundaries and he succeeds. I haven't seen the making of yet, but people have told me about some things, that they have seen and it sounds amazing.

Unfortunately I don't feel as "touched" by the complete story. It does have a strong beginning and the acting is great. But at the end it seems more like bits and parts and not as a whole movie experience. Of course that symbolizes our life as it is (also bits and pieces and many different chapters, with different characters in them). But although I do like this aspect, I feel there could've been more.

Maybe Mr. Fincher spoiled us with the movies he makes and I expected more. But whatever it is and although I do like the movie, I couldn't bear to give it more than 7/10 (which isn't bad at all in my book either).

kept forwarding during the whole movie. Some very good elements and they were both amazing but the movie was very slow.I think that was to blame the most. I just hope Fincher doesn't become obsessed with Pitt as Burton with Depp.

David Fincher has transformed a strange plotline of a man who ages backwards into an epic love story, and it is the most touching and beautiful film I've ever seen. You forget the fictional storyline because the direction and storytelling is so flawless. It is a very different look on life, as they say in the film, "Sometimes to understand life you have to look at it backwards". The acting is superb, the make-up and effects flawless and the length of the film goes unnoticed until you look at your watch when the film is over. An absolute masterpiece, and the best film of 2008.

Ever since this movie was released, I was really dying to watch it. Indeed, David Fincher is one of the best directors at work nowadays, it was a success at the box-office and acclaimed by the critics (except by Roger Ebert which should have been a warning to me). I missed it when it was released and eventually bought it on DVD, expecting to watch a modern masterpiece but guess what? I thought it was eventually rather disappointing. I mean, it was not a bad movie, not at all, it was actually pretty good, it looked gorgeous but what was eventually the point of all this ?!? Basically, the movie starts with a guy born old who is growing younger and... that's about it! During 3 hours, there was not much discussion about the implications of this predicament, about his feelings and his thoughts or the feelings and thoughts of the people around him and, as a result, I thought it was rather underwhelming. I'm not saying that they should have explained how he happened to be that way but, in my opinion, there was definitely something missing. Basically, the whole movie was based on this gimmick, on the fact that the character grows younger but, in my case, that wasn't enough. Furthermore, I think some of it was rather phony (indeed, the way he left his wife and kid and was actually completely unnecessary. I mean, how many man or woman with a disability or a handicap ends up having children, should they also run away then? If the child grew up with this father, she would have gotten used to the fact that he was different because she wouldn't have known anything better. Your father could be a midget, albino, black, gay, blind, one-legged, it never matters whatsoever). Eventually, the biggest problem with this movie might have been the fact that I was never really convinced that Benjamin Button's predicament was such an awful curse. Indeed, in our world, obsessed with eternal youth and plastic surgery, don't you think that a lot of people would give everything they have to be in his positon? Anyway, to conclude, in my opinion, even though it remains a decent watch, it still belongs to the overrated work made by Fincher but, in spite of it flaws,  it is still worth a look, especially if you are interested in this director.

Ever since I saw the trailer, I literally became addicted to this film and repeatedly watched the trailer to build up to the hype of seeing the film despite knowing that I might be disappointed by it. However, when I watched it, I was blown away by it due to its beautiful production, its beauty and heartbreak and even the comedy within. I won't only remember the first time I watched it but I will also remember when I watched it for the first time. I saw it in the first 2 ½ hours of 2009 so that makes the film even more special. I think what is so extraordinary about The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is that as we enter Benjamin's life and watch him grow up there is a background of gold and everyone else looking younger than he is when he is really younger but as it gradually gets to the end when Benjamin physically becomes a child but is really a pensioner, we see another new background and it feels like that they are split into two different films when they are really together. In shorter words: like seeing the old days at the start during World War I and World War II with clothings, neighbourhoods and attitudes but seeing modern day life like today as the film progresses.


I think mainly why The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is so awesome is because it is depressing throughout the whole 166 minute duration of the film and it makes it more tragic so therefore it is more powerful and is going to keep a firm hold on the audience. I mean, a lot of people would say that this is a very daft story seeing as it is about a man who ages backwards but as the film progresses and Benjamin gets younger, you begin to realise just how clever this film really is despite the plot being so basic and can be explained in one single sentence. The cinematography was just fantastic! That is another thing about it: it is a film of both dark and beautiful art. It was robbed by Slumdog Millionaire with the Academy Award. The art direction was just fantastic as well and made the audience sink into the film and stick with it all the way through. The make-up was fantastic obviously. Probably the most impressive make-up I have seen on a film. Visual effects were stunning too especially on Brad Pitt as child-pensioner Benjamin.


Time and time again, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button has been compared as like a cousin so to speak to both Robert Zemeckis's Forrest Gump and Tim Burton's Big Fish and that it is 'the Forrest Gump of the noughties' and, to be perfectly honest, I really can see why and how all three are similar. Forrest, Benjamin and Edward tell their life stories with the adventures they experience and their love lives as well. Also, they are unsure about what they want out of life but they live their lives anyway and just see what happens in them. The film received 13 Academy Award nominations and it is one of the three films to have been nominated for the most Academy Awards in one year without winning Best Picture (others are Mary Poppins in 1964, Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? in 1966 and The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring in 2001).


Hurricane Katrina is hitting New Orleans and Daisy is on her deathbed in a local hospital with her daughter Caroline by her side. Daisy requests Caroline get out a diary for her to read and it is the story of her life-long friend Benjamin Button. As Caroline reads the diary to Daisy, her voice begins to change to Benjamin's voice. The story of Benjamin begins on the night World War I ended and follows a man named Thomas Button trying to get back home as quickly as possible because his wife is giving birth. When she passes away in childbirth, Thomas looks at the baby in horror and takes him out into the streets and abandons him outside a senior's home and is raised in a nice warm place by a young black woman called Queenie who happens to be the caregiver at the home. A doctor who was there told Queenie that Benjamin's body is failing him before his life has begun so therefore he is going to die soon. As Benjamin grows up into his teenage years but still looking in his early 70s, he meets Daisy who is just a little girl at the time and almost instantly falls in love with her. Her grandmother is a pensioner who lives at the home. As he begins to grow, he begins to realise that he is in fact getting younger so he heads to sea during World War II but that leads him away from Daisy. Despite this, they keep in contact throughout their lives and the tables begin to turn and begin to get more depressing. Julia Ormond's performance as Caroline is very underrated. Again, like with Brad Pitt and Taraji P. Henson, Ormond is playing the daughter of Cate Blanchett's character Daisy and in real-life Julia Ormond is older than Cate Blanchett by


I was surprised by Brad Pitt's performance as Benjamin Button. Brad is usually seen as this tough hunky guy playing criminals, gang leaders, heart-throbs or cops but Benjamin bought out something in Brad that we hadn't seen before. He was absolutely fantastic and he certainly proved in this one that Benjamin really is his very own character and there will never be another film made like this again. Despite that Benjamin was narrating the story, every single time that Brad was on screen, there was always either visual effects or make-up added. I was impressed with Brad's child-pensioner Benjamin voice before he went to war in his teen years. Brad totally deserved the Best Leading Actor Academy Award but I feel he should have won it because not only was the character a breakthrough in cinema but it was also a breakthrough for the actor playing him and the performance itself. Cate Blanchett was fantastic as Daisy! Not only did Daisy and Benjamin make a great couple despite their differences but so did Brad and Cate and I really wish that Cate would keep her hair red because I think she looks absolutely gorgeous with that coloured hair. She was robbed of an Academy Award nomination so that was another crucial mistake from the Academy that year. Taraji P. Henson was really good as Queenie. This is weird but she is playing Queenie who is older than Benjamin seeing as she is his foster mother but Brad Pitt is 7 years older than Taraji P. Henson.


After a career of directing films based on crime and mystery, David Fincher goes somewhere different this time. Not only does the audience go on an extraordinary new adventure but so does the director Fincher doing it seeing as it is perhaps the first drama he has done. Also, the first fantasy film he has done as well. As far as how well he worked on it, I think it was absolutely fantastic direction! He probably did have a lot on his shoulders because viewers would be expecting something extraordinary and new that we hadn't seen before. Fincher, you have given us your masterpiece and unfortunately you didn't receive Best Director or Best Picture for the film itself but I think he'll win Best Director and Best Picture for The Social Network this year anyway. Eric Roth is another reason why Curious Case Of Benjamin Button has its similarities with Forrest Gump because he wrote the scripts for both of these films. His scripts are just fantastic and he is one of my favourite screenwriters.


Overall, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is a personal favourite of mine that will stick with me throughout the rest of my life. It is probably the most emotional and tear-jerking film I have ever watched and I can't see how people can watch it without crying. This will probably always remain as my favourite David Fincher film and Brad Pitt performance. One of Cate Blanchett's best as well. If you're looking to go on a journey beyond any other than you will ever see, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is the one you are looking for. It is pretty much a perfect film for me.

Relentlessly engrossing and visually majestic, David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an astonishingly great motion picture. This is one of the most awe-inspiring meditations on life I've ever witnessed on a big screen. It's so deeply observant about the process of living and aging, and at the same time it's also a wonderfully unconventional romantic story, with a nice helping of comedy for good measure. This is something we rarely get from a wide release - a movie that is irrefutably great in every respect, managing to establish a flawless balance between pure entertainment at the movies while also constantly challenging the viewers' minds and plucking their heartstrings.

It's 2005 in a hospital in New Orleans, and Hurricane Katrina looms. Caroline (Julia Ormond) watches over her dying mother, 80-year-old Daisy (Cate Blanchett). Daisy asks Caroline to start reading from a diary found in Daisy's belongings. Daisy claims she won't necessarily be listening to what Caroline reads, but she does want to hear her daughter's voice. Caroline sees that the diary belongs to a man named Benjamin Button (whom she knows nothing about), and rather than just being a series of written pages, it also contains several photographs and mementos that will be of great explanatory importance as Caroline reads specific entries. She starts reading said diary to her mother, and we are taken back to 1918, to the day in which World War I ended, which also marks the day in which Benjamin (Brad Pitt) was born the size of a baby, yet with all the physical features and health problems of an old man. More plot summary would simply be detrimental to the experience of watching this film, which contains so many revelations that it's almost unfair to compare it to so many other films that have attempted the same sort of thing and have ended up limiting their scope so much. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button fully exploits the potential of its greatly interesting premise, which is probably why it lasts nearly three hours, but don't let that dissuade you from watching this - this is such an involving picture that you won't even notice the time that passed once it's over.

Some may feel turned off by the arguably weird, if outlandish, premise of this story, but the main thing to take away from Fincher's film and what makes it an unbelievably amazing work of cinema is the fact that, even though Benjamin observes what transpires in his life as someone who gets younger with each day instead of following the regular aging process, the observations he makes are the same type of observations that a person who ages normally would make about his/her life. Benjamin meets a wide array of people, sees them die, sees others get born, finds love, laughs, cries, connects with some people more than he does with others, has sex, goes to different places, and the list goes on. Without going too much into spoiler territory, I'll point out that the forgetfulness that Benjamin experiences at the end of the film once he's a child is the exact same type of forgetfulness old people go through. Fincher's thesis is that it doesn't matter whether you age forward or backwards because you still end up in the same state - as one characters wisely puts it at one point, "we all end up in diapers, no matter what." Though a seemingly odd quote, it's a great one in terms of summing up the feeling you get from this film, which is incredibly insightful yet is always good-humored in imparting said insight and never wallows in dryness or melodrama. As Benjamin learns, regardless of whether you age forward or backwards, you simply have to take advantage of everything that life gives you.

I say all of this about the film's premise because of how it has been the subject of negative commentary in so many other reviews. Roger Ebert, known even by those who don't know much about film criticism, is certainly one of today's best critics, but I have to disagree with the basis of his review for this film. Right from the beginning of the review, he basically lets us know that he is dismissing the movie entirely because of the premise, and claims that it is impossible to care about what happens during this film because of the way the story is constructed, and this simply couldn't be further from the truth. I'll admit that, in the wrong hands, that could've EASILY been the case, but in Fincher's hands, it MORE than works. It works perfectly. The film is sublime, yet never moves at a glacial pace. It's funny, yet never ridiculous. And it is a dialogue-driven drama, yet it's never monotonous. We readily accept the premise, and that is what makes it so easy to get engrossed in the film.

After "growing up" and leaving home, Benjamin goes to Russia where he meets Elizabeth Abbott (Tilda Swinton), who is staying with her husband at the same hotel as Benjamin. They start having late-night talks in the hotel lobby, with no one else around, and start getting closer and closer to one another. Benjamin makes an observation that I've often thought about, which is that when a place like a hotel is so quiet late at night, it sort of amazes you that a place that has so many people in it can actually have a moment in which there's so much silence, that even a mouse jumping isn't noticed by anyone. He takes pleasure in being present and awake during such a moment of stillness, and moreso in sharing it with Elizabeth, who tells him a story about how she once swam in the ocean for 34 hours until she simply couldn't move anymore, but claims she'd never be able to do it again. One day, Elizabeth simply leaves the hotel and leaves him what SEEMS to be a disappointingly short and empty message, yet the few words she writes are deeply resonant - as Benjamin notes at one point, sometimes the people you know for the shortest amount of time have the most impact on you. All you need is to "meet" them, as Elizabeth puts it in her message. Later in the film, Elizabeth makes a brief appearance in a hope-inducing moment that is sure to make everyone smile as much as it makes Benjamin smile: you can do anything, no matter how old you are. You just have to make yourself do it.

As you might expect, a lot of the funny moments come from the awkward situations Benjamin sometimes gets in as a result of his, well, curious case, with people often confused by his sexual vigor and other anomalies. There is a scene during a religious service in which a reverend tries to get Benjamin to walk as though his walking stemmed from a miracle of God, and it's one of those things you shouldn't laugh at, but you just have to, and you can just tell that comedy is exactly what Fincher was going for here, which makes the scene's jarringly tragic ending all the more surprising. Many of the laughs also come from a character in the film who makes spontaneous appearances and claims to have been struck by lightning, yet always gives a different version of how it happened. It's the sort of joke that, eventually, you know exactly what's going to be said, but rather than being dull and repetitive, you just start laughing before it's even told because you know what's coming and you can't help finding it endearingly funny.

The last time that Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett starred in a film together was two years ago in Babel, a movie that basically had the butterfly effect (or chaos theory, or whatever term you prefer) as the center of its plot: the idea that one action by someone in a certain place can have a huge impact on someone else who is perhaps miles away and has no relation to that first person. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button features a sequence that pushes the envelope of said theory even further in that it presents several acts by several people all of which could have prevented an event from taking place, had they not happened. Some might think the sequence is unnecessary because it is short and it doesn't seem to have an immense effect on the plot, but well... without spoiling anything, it should be noted that what happens doesn't only affect Daisy's career as a dancer; it greatly impacts the futures of both Daisy and Benjamin, and that is exactly why this seemingly disposable sequence is actually nothing but brilliance on Fincher's part.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button deserves all possible praise and awards recognition for its achievements in terms of visual/technical and make-up work. The combination of CGI and actual make-up flawlessly depicts the aging process (forward for Daisy and backwards for Benjamin, of course). In addition to that, though, the film is more than beautifully shot, with some incredibly breathtaking locations that serve as stunning backgrounds to the development of this breathtaking story. The film essentially covers the whole of the 20th century (from 1918 till 1985, and then jumping to 2005 for the hospital scenes) and the set designs and period details are impeccable.

The final moments of the film feature a zoom-out in the hospital room, after Caroline has finished reading Benjamin's diary and heads over to find out what is happening with the hurricane, leaving a moribund Daisy in bed. The zoom-out is coupled with background noises that signal the impending doom of the present time, and as soon as the screen fades to black, the movie proceeds to display its final images, with a voiceover by Benjamin, who imparts deep observations about each individual person's role in life, as we get a glimpse at several of the people we met throughout this stunning journey of a motion picture. If, by this point, anyone was not convinced of the greatness of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button this final sequence is all the proof they need.

Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett are perfect star-crossed lovers, playing a very different couple than they did in Babel, and indeed, playing a very unorthodox pair of star-crossed lovers (even though the term "star-crossed" fits perfectly, for obvious reasons). If you look at current pictures of Pitt he's arguably hotter than he's ever been (even though he's into his 40's), so you'd figure it'd be impossible to make him into a plausible crotchety old man at the beginning, and you'd be wrong. Pitt gives a fierce performance, deftly capturing every age stage, and co-star Blanchett is every bit as regal an actress as she always is in films she stars in. Julia Ormond, I believe, redeems herself here for her sub-par work last year in the critically-panned I Know Who Killed Me, never overplaying the part of the suffering daughter who is startled by the revelations she comes across in Benjamin's diary (even when the biggest revelation, which some may predict, is unveiled). Taraji P. Henson is delightful to watch as Queenie, the woman who raises the title character, stealing essentially every scene she takes part in. As Elizabeth, Swinton has a relatively short role, but doesn't fail to impress; it's quite something when a character whom we only meet for a short while shows up later in a film and makes you smile, yet that is precisely what Swinton accomplishes here.

Fincher is obviously aware of Pitt's magnificent potential, which is why he's worked with him in so many of his films. In Se7en and Fight Club, Fincher extracted much toughness out of Pitt's performance, but in this case, the situation is different because this last film is far more sublime, though the actor-director collaboration still yields great results.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a visual tour de force and an amazing feat of storytelling. Everyone, old and young, should be curious enough to see this, and I have no doubt that they all will walk away from it in a deeply enlightened state, having witnessed an excellently-crafted meditation on life and one of the best cinematic achievements produced in 2008.

Benjamin Button was born on the night the great war ended. He was born like every other baby, but unlike every other baby he was born looking like an old man. As he grew older in age, his skin became fairer and it was clear that Benjamin Button was living life in reverse. As he ages Benjamin wants to work, wants to experience life. All the while at sea Benjamin writes to his childhood sweetheart Daisie.

Benjamin Button: I was thinking how nothing lasts, and what a shame that is.

Although so different they really are the same age. Benjamin finds himself a lady while out at sea and tries to forget about Daisie. After a while at sea Benjamin returns home to see all those he loves getting older, while he himself is the only one getting younger. Benjamin doesn't really know what to do, or how to feel. While home he sees Daisie, and she wants to be with him. He says it is not a good time. As his life progresses Benjamin and Daisie end up together through fate, and end up having a child of their own along the way.

Benjamin Button transforms through out this film. At the beginning he is a child in an old mans body, something nobody understood. Everyone sort of looked down upon Benjamin saying that he wasn't supposed to live long, that he was a monster. But just like everyone else, he had real human feelings, deep emotions, emotions he only wanted people to care about.. Someone did care about Benjamin and that was his momma, not his actual mamma, but the family that he was left as a child. They nurtured him, gave him a life and that is the place Benjamin called home, the one he wanted to go back to when he felt alone. Like every other human being, Benjamin had feelings, real feelings that meant something. He wasn't a monster, he was just born under unusual circumstances.

Benjamin Button: My name is Benjamin Button, and I was born under unusual circumstances. While, everyone else was agin', I was gettin' younger... all alone.

Brad Pitt is famous, that we all know. We all know everything about his life, the personal side of it anyway. Brad is all over the news, with the adoption of children, helping people in New Orleans, and just for being an A-list movie star. Brad is also really good at what he does. Seven was an absolute masterpiece, because of Brad (with some help from Spacey and Freeman) Fight Club was an awesome movie because of Brad starring as Tyler Durden. With the mention of Fight Club comes the next statement. Not since Fight Club has Brad Pitt been able to get his hands on something valuable. With the exception of course now being Benjamin Button.

Not since Fight Club has Brad cared so much about his work, has his work consumed him this much, and has he given us a character that shouts from the roof top about Oscar night. Brad radiates positivity for this role. He screams with intensity, he is fierce like a lion in portraying Benjamin Button, and making this fairy tale seem not so fairy like at all. Brad Pitt is able to make Button seem like he could be our own friendly neighbor our own best friend, while leaving room for people to misunderstand such a supernatural occurrence. Brad Pitt is first class and is excellent. Brad Pitt will gain Oscar buzz and this film is one of the best you could possibly see.

Cate Blanchett is the definition of Sophistication. Her roles take on a new light. She feeds off of challenge, and becomes even better when the pressure is on.She is fantastic in anything she gets her hands on. Cate did something great in the Aviator, I'm Not There and now starring in this magical film about who two people are meant to come together and be together. Cate matches the intensity of Brad and delivers her character of Daisy just as well as Brad gives us Benjamin.. Cate compares with Brad and makes the film that much more envisioning, powerful, heart wrenching. Cate creates magic with Brad, she makes this film twinkle. She reaches for the stars and she goes beyond, shining. I would love for Cate to win best actress for Benjamin Button, but it wont happen. Cate is a beautiful actress, who is so very impressive in every film

This film is so very impressive when you think about it on the grandest scale. Like every other big Hollywood film, you expect acting to be high quality. Check a yes for that. You expect there to be some sort of action somewhere, check another yes to that one. And like every Hollywood picture these days you expect the visuals to be so good you cant even tell it came out of Hollywood. Check another giant yes to that one.Benjamin Button was not a normal man and that had to be shown. As much as the audience grew into who Benjamin was, they still couldn't get over the fact that he was born under the most unusual of circumstances.

I loved the message this film held. Never take anything for granted, live every day like its your last, because you never know what is coming for you. Benjamin in many peoples eyes was a far cry from being like everyone else. He was old, he was wrinkly, he shouldnt have been hanging around Daisy when he was a kid, she couldn't be his friend.Benjamin through out the film expressed his differing opinions because he saw the world in a different light. He didn't see everything the same way everyone else did.

Benjamin Button:“It’s a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realize what’s changed, is you.”

For what it’s worth, it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit... Start whenever you want... You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that stop you. I hope you feel things that you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

-Benjamin Button

Queenie: You never know what's comin' for ya.

This film is one of the best of 2008, it is sentimental, heart wrenching,and romantic.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button falls into two distinct camps: a sense of love and admiration despite its flaws, or a complete and utter sense of hatred and contempt. I don’t understand the latter and fall, very much, into the former. I loved Benjamin Button from the opening shots of the Warner Brothers logo as buttons to the final glimpse of the clock stored away in some shed quickly filling with water. I was teary eyed and stumbled out confused about what I had seen, but knowing that I had seen something quite absorbing. Even, dare I say it, haunting and resonant. From the very beginning to the very end Benjamin Button is all about the ephemeral nature of life, love, time and death.

Benjamin himself might reside in the title, but he is not the main character of interest. Benjamin is doomed to forever be an outsider, a lone wanderer drifting through casually observing but never fully participating. Why do I say this? Because of his extremely odd condition – born an infant, but with all the physical problems of old age, he will age normally in his mental state but will return to an infant form with his mind having suffered the ravages of old age. He was born outside of time, in a sense. Or, at least, how we have come to understand the operation of time. This is his story, but it is refracted and shown to us from several different points of view.

And that is where the astoundingly gifted supporting players come into play. Tilda Swinton, Jared Hess, Taraji P. Henson and Julia Ormond are all fantastic across the board, despite limited screen time. This story mostly belongs to Benjamin and Daisy and where their lives intersect, diverge and run parallel to each others. While it may cover the entirety of Benjamin’s life, this is primarily a fairy tale, an epic fantasy about two people born to be together, but prevented from fully committing because of life’s natural chaos.

And what of that aging premise, which has caused so many to lash out against the movie? You either buy into it going along with the logic involved in the film or you don’t. Does no one have any more room left for a sense of whimsy? Yes, Benjamin Button is obsessed with death from the very start, but there is an enchantment to be had. At least, I felt like there was. (There is a vague reason given for his condition, something about a clock that runs in reverse, but that would require an intimate understanding of the Chaos theory and a leap of faith.)

I have spent a lot of time describing the plot devices and the emotions they gave me and have spoken very little about the stunning visuals. For shame! The movie is beautiful to behold. It’s as special effects heavy as any of the brain dead action movies that populate the summer, but there’s one key difference: this has a brain and something to say. The ideas are messy, complicated and it might not be as effectively communicated as they could have been. But when was the last time a big Hollywood production went this weird?

And those last shots of an aged Daisy bending down to kiss a toddler-sized Benjamin break my heart and bring a tear to my eye every time. That’s pure emotion without the cloy sentimentality of the overrated Forrest Gump, which this resembles in structure but not in tone. Fincher hits too dark and fights against sloppy emotionality quite often. It might not be everyone’s idea of a good time, but I wanted Benjamin Button to pull an upset on the overrated Slumdog Millionaire for Best Picture at last year’s Academy Awards.

Essentially a less comical remake of writer Eric Roth's script of Forrest Gump, Benjamin Button is a film with a mood most magical, but a story most silly and seen before. I do believe, unlike Roger Ebert for example, that it is possible to relate with a character who ages backwards. I just don't think it's possible with this film. This Curious Case never builds to an emotional peak or a grand discovery. It's a cold, analytical story from beginning to end. In some films, such would be an achievement, but here, we already know what it will be going in. A story about a man who ages from being 80 to being 0 can have no happy ending. A good film, and a good story, should always attempt to transcend it's humble origins. This movie does not rise above what we expect of it in any way. Director David Fincher manages to create a very nice mood, as if that of a fairytale, but he never makes any use of this athmosphere. Brad Pitt, and the rest of the cast, seem very depressed and outright sad to be in this film. I know they're supposed to be depressed in a way, but that doesn't mean they would always have to have their voices so low you have to turn your volume to the max to hear their incoherent babbling. The major issue with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is that you can read the synopsis of the film and know what the message will be, and the movie never manages to rise above this supposition the viewer makes, instead just delivering 2½ hours of what we already know - that it's very depressing to live your life backwards.

The film as you would expect from the title and trailer describes the life story of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) who is faced with the unusual predicament of aging backwards. Director David Fincher guides us through a series of Benjamin's life defining moments, but it is his relationship with Daisy (Cate Blanchett) that is central to the film. I was drawn in by this hugely interesting premise and keen to see how a tale that presents such obvious technical challenges would translate to the big screen. Despite taking nearly three hours to unfold I was more than satisfied with the experience, I fully believed in both Benjamin's character and the relationships he forms throughout this beautifully crafted film.

I can definitely see where the comparisons with Forest Gump have come from and whilst I'm a fan of both films I had the same problem with them - they are a tad tedious! It's sadly inherent in a film that focuses on someones life story that they end up being rather predictable viewing experiences. Fortunately the film kept my attention thanks to some exemplary casting and stellar performances from both Pitt and Blanchett, as well as a Taraji P. Henson who play Benjamin's surrogate mother Queenie. The key moments of Benjamin's life are brilliantly captured, I personally enjoyed that the director focused on both the highs and lows of life in equal measure but I was left emotionally exhausted by the time the film reached its climax.

Benjamin Button has much to offer, it's almost worth watching for the presentation alone. It's a tribute to the quality of the make-up and CGI in this film that I was so drawn in to the screenplay; we have really reached a stage where special effects no longer distract from the content. I can see why many will be left frustrated due to the slow pace and subtle payoffs, but if you put aside the time and go into this with a curious mind I'm sure like me you will be pleasantly surprised.