ROLL FILM
Loosely based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story of the same name, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is about a man who's born elderly and ages in reverse. Abandoned by his father, Benjamin grows up in a nursing home, a fitting place for someone who can only walk with the help of canes, even though he is seven years old. As Benjamin matures, he goes through the same trials of ordinary life -- a first kiss, losing virginity, and experiencing loss -- all told through a timeline that spans from the end of World War I to the day Hurricane Katrina descends on New Orleans.
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Director David Fincher (Fight Club) seamlessly glides from one time period to the next and directs stunning performances out of Brad Pitt as Button and, especially, Cate Blanchett who plays Daisy, the woman Button has loved since childhood. And yet, despite the intriguing and original premise, the dazzling visuals displayed by Fincher his crew, and an avalanche of tender, heartfelt performances from the actors, Button feels like familiar territory.
The story is a fable about an unusual man's extraordinary life that is filled with bits of real history and inspirational homilies that will make you think about your own life and the loved ones around you. If that sounds a little like Forrest Gump, it should. While Button has a decidedly more somber tone, the similarities between the two movies are numerous:
| THING | BENJAMIN BUTTON | FORREST GUMP |
| Funny name | X | X |
| Walking assistant | Cane | Leg braces |
| Philosophic refrain | "You never know what's coming for you [in life]." | "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." |
| Work vessel | tugboat | shrimp boat |
| War | World War II | Vietnam |
| Love interest | Childhood friend who is a free spirit and goes out and lives her own life before finally reuniting | Ditto |
| Frivolous use of symbolism | Hummingbird | White feather |
TAKE 2
While similar to Gump, Button is a far more contemplative epic, keying in on the lessons life will bring despite one's age, and deals more with the loss that comes with death, or the divergent paths that come with a life aging backwards. Providing additional boost are the aforementioned performances from Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. While Pitt was just nominated for a Golden Globe for Button, it's Blanchett who effortlessly steals the movie with a pitch-perfect performance ranging from the youthful naiveté she shows in Daisy as a young dancer living in New York, to the suffering she must endure as she ages, losing not only her career but the man she loves.
FINAL CUT
In all, a delicately drawn fable that hits the emotional strings just like its more upbeat sibling Forrest Gump. Depending on how you feel about Gump, that's either great or terrible news.
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