In some ways, people will already have seen The Curious Case of Benjamin Button before the film even begins rolling. We have a protagonist misunderstood for his differences which, along with a diverse ensemble of characters, help shape his life, and a struggle with love for "the one that got away." Sound familiar? Sounds a bit like 1994's Forrest Gump to me.
It comes as little surprise, since screenwriter Eric Roth penned both scripts. But his efforts with Button yield more satisfying results. Why?
Having David Fincher direct certainly doesn't hurt. But this time around, Roth re-worked previously-written material, in this instance a lesser-known short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The original Benjamin Button wasn't so much a story as it was a labor, a disappointingly sardonic look at a truly interesting concept - being born old and growing younger with the passage of time.
Here, the recycled elements of Gump have helped create an adaptation that surpasses its original inspiration. Every character is vital to the protagonist's life, resulting in a story that becomes less a chore than a joy to soak up. The film affords each star its shining moment, (even Cate Blanchett!) and makes the story's three-hour run time breeze right by.
Perhaps the biggest reason for that is one of the film's strongest aspects (and the first we notice), its artistic merit. Benjamin Button is one of the most visually stunning movies you'll ever see. We all know going in of the monumental task it faced in presenting the wonders of aging (or is it timelessness?), and they've succeeded resoundingly in that respect. But even more impressive is the scene construction; each one as vivid and beautiful as the last. You're not just watching for three hours, but experiencing this story.
Few scenes achieve the same visual quality as the opener, the night of Benjamin's (Brad Pitt) birth in 1918. Born on the night World War I ends, Benjamin's aforementioned condition sees him promptly abandoned by his father (his mother dies in childbirth) and left with nursing home attendant Queenie (Taraji P. Henson). His early life sees a myriad of different encounters - from a ship captain who gives him his first real job to a resident of the nursing home whose sole purpose seems to be for comic relief, discussing the seven times he's been struck by lightning.
But despite their varying degrees of apparent significance, the characters each provide a vital aspect of the story: the lessons they give to Benjamin inspired by their experiences with him. As Pitt ages (or, rather, grows younger - either way it's astounding to watch), the messages grow more profound, and every character contributes at some level.
It might be Elizabeth Abott (Tilda Swinton), who gives Benjamin his first kiss and, 30-odd years later, reminds him that anything is possible in life; it might also be his father Tom (Jason Flemyng), whose actions teach Benjamin that any and all anger must be let go and forgotten at some point. What hits hard is the casual nature in which the majority of these lessons are delivered - almost as mild banter between friends, since Benjamin never reveals his true age and condition.
Except to his childhood friend Daisy (Cate Blanchett). Her relationship with Benjamin is sort of like Jenny's with Gump; you want it to happen, but it doesn't seem likely. And then it happens.
But for all the build-up, their relationship ends up becoming a bit of a downer. Blanchett and Pitt excel throughout the movie except, strangely, in their scenes together. At its core, the movie is a love story, yet the romantic elements end up being the weakest of any in the movie. Poor? Certainly not - and things definitely improve as the movie goes on. But you'd expect them to feel a bit more natural.
At some point in the 1960's - just after the Beatles play Ed Sullivan and just before the horrendous fashion trends we see emerging in the latter part of the decade - Benjamin and Daisy hit equilibrium. She's gotten old enough and he's gotten young enough for them to be at the same level, and things appear perfect for them. And even with the apparent lack of chemistry between the two, Pitt and Blanchett still manage to convey that element of the sublime, that point at which we feel anything is possible.
That's basically the essence of the movie, though. In an awards season filled with historical representations (Milk, Frost/Nixon) or thinking-man's movies (Doubt, The Dark Knight), this movie is the escape we so desperately need. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button may have a simple lesson, but it is far from a simple film. It's a magical journey - a true triumph in a year that gave us so many duds. It's beautiful, it's uplifting and - pardon the pun - it's timeless.
3.5 stars out of 4
