Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

While Brad Pitt is still a household name, his role over the past several years seems to have shifted from superstar actor to Mr. Jolie, father of six. And even though he has been in several notable films in recent years (Burn After Reading, Ocean’s 11-13, and Babel), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will likely bring Pitt an Oscar nomination for Best Actor (to add to his Golden Globe nomination). Even if he doesn’t win, Benjamin Button will be a strong contender in this year’s award season. (The film has four other Golden Globe nods, including Best Picture and Best Director.)

Benjamin Button is the story of an unusual baby who appears to be born already on the brink of death. As the years go by, it becomes more and more clear that Benjamin (Brad Pitt) has the mind of a child growing older trapped in the body of an elderly man growing younger. Orphaned, Benjamin is raised by the owner of a nursing home, where his condition allows him to fit in physically, even though he has a harder time finding his place in the world. Although his condition is unique, the obstacles he faces in his life are, for the most part, common to all of us at one point or another. While this original tale, loosely based off of a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has traces of fantasy, it is almost entirely based in a completely realistic world that is not hard to buy into.

The second half of the film is dedicated to the love story between Benjamin and Daisy (Cate Blanchett), and the turns their lives take to bring them together and pull them apart again. It is not your average love story, but really one of true, unwavering devotion. Both Pitt and Blanchett’s performances are outstanding, and each of them brings a certain enchanted quality to their character. The theme of time is extremely prevalent throughout, but never heavy-handed, and is guaranteed to make you stop and consider how time moves in your own life.



Benjamin Button is a strong, touching story that follows Benjamin’s life from the beginning to the end, or vice-versa. The film benefits from the obvious love and admiration that director David Fincher (Zodiac, Panic Room, Fight Club) has for the story and its characters, and the time he takes developing them. On the flip side, it was probably this same love that made it difficult for Fincher to discard pieces of these characters on the cutting room floor, leaving the film a whopping two hours and forty-seven minutes long. While the film could have been trimmed down some and still succeed, the relationship Fincher created between the characters and the audience makes the nearly three-hour film seem much shorter. The heartfelt story, wonderful acting, impressive CGI and beautiful cinematography combine to make Benjamin Button one of the funniest, saddest and most worthwhile movies we’ve had in a long time. I highly recommend you carve out some time in your schedule, and make room in your heart for this brilliantly executed film.