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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Director: David Fincher

Time Out rating

Average user rating

63 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

The investigative scope and emotional weight of David Fincher’s ‘Zodiac’ surprised those of us who accused him of valuing style over substance. But in ‘Benjamin Button’, the director assumes a greater challenge: an epic, melancholic romance that employs a multi-generational cast and groundbreaking visual effects. It’s a testament to Fincher’s skill as a storyteller that the film actually works, albeit sporadically.

The script was adapted from a F Scott Fitzgerald story about a man who ages in reverse. Newborn geriatric Benjamin (Brad Pitt) is abandoned on the steps of an old folks’ home and raised by kindly nurse Queenie (Taraji P Henson). As a septuagenarian on crutches he meets love of his life Daisy (Cate Blanchett); in middle age he woos and wins her; as a young man their life together begins to fall apart.The screenplay was written by ‘Forrest Gump’ scribe Eric Roth, and it shows: much of ‘Button’ takes place in a Southern fantasia populated by brassy women and sassy black folks, all of whom pepper their conversation with enough homespun homilies to fill a Reader’s Digest almanac. But thankfully this is Fincher’s movie, not Roth’s, and his exacting eye for bravura visual spectacle carries the picture.

At times infuriatingly banal, at others unexpectedly powerful, this is shameless Oscar bait that transcends hokey scripting thanks to a combination of sheer craft and some remarkable performances, notably Tilda Swinton, whose brief, poignant turn crystallises the film’s timeless themes of love, loss and regret.

Author: Tom Huddleston 2009-02-03 11:10:45

Time Out London Issue 2007, 5 - 11 Feb, 2009

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User reviews of this film

cutie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! said...

Posted on Feb 17 2009 20:37 it is a 3 hour film!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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cutie said...

Posted on Feb 17 2009 20:36 this film was good but dragged on a bit. it was really sad at the ending. i would recomend it for adults alough younger people maylike it it depends on what sort of film u like

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Paul said...

Posted on Feb 16 2009 19:57 Does Tom Huddleston really have to try to make himself look so clever with his 'intelligent' review? I wanted an insight into the film and read about a 'bravura visual spectacle'? I ask you. Expect a call from the Plain English Police anytime soon.

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Laura said...

Posted on Feb 16 2009 16:15 I'd just like to point out to all of these people who are saying that hollywood came up with this idea in order to revel in their own cleverness - no. They didn't. F Scott Fitzgerald wrote the book first and then yeah, Hollywood nicked the idea (nothing new there). So if anybody's "reveling" it'd be Fitzgerald (quite inanimately due to lack of life ^^)

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Russell said...

Posted on Feb 16 2009 09:54 I have to say that I had mixed feelings about the idea of this film, I'd read the confessions of max tivoli, which was to all intents and purposes the more complete version of Benjamin Button, that Fitzgerald never got around to writing, and I could see that the concept could work... but I'm afraid that on balance that this film just doesn't work, the cgi is terribly invasive, it seems to at parts want to play like a Tim Burton fairytale... but doesn't, othertimes maybe Button is a Gatsby, but none of it is terribly convincing and the film just drifts at parts. Pitt is quite good, apart from the accent, Cate Blanchett just looks miscast, the movie has its moments but overall its all a bit mixed up., and a wasted opportunity.

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wendy said...

Posted on Feb 15 2009 23:36 it just goes to show that other peoples reviews don,t have any basis on whether your going to enjoy a film i thought it was fantastic and so did the other three people with me when we were walking out at the end i could hear lots of others cmmenting how much they enjoyed it so go see for yourself

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jimmy said...

Posted on Feb 15 2009 23:18 forget all the bad reviews go and see it we have and absolutely loved every second

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Popsicle said...

Posted on Feb 15 2009 22:23 OMG this film is total, complete and utter bollocks. People were walking out! Maybe would've been OK if it were 1.5 hours shorter. Cate Blanchetts voice as an old lady is one of the most annoying sounds you will ever hear in your life. The movie just goes on and on. By the midway point you actually start looking forward to them dying. By the end you're cheering!

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Jon said...

Posted on Feb 15 2009 19:54 A really good film

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marian said...

Posted on Feb 14 2009 18:32 This is the most beautifully shot film I have seen in years,and a truly moving story of relationships and aging.Its a bit slow to start ,but perhaps we are all too used to action film in this video ages we live in.Take the time to appreciate it.

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Elena said...

Posted on Feb 12 2009 10:54 Painfully painfully slow, what a waste of time and money!

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Nogel said...

Posted on Feb 10 2009 23:40 OH MY SWEET JESEUS!!!!! I feel for the first time in my life that I have truly wasted my time. I was very aware that I was in a dark room with a hundred strangers, well I suppose better that than having to listen to this tripe. Worst piece of crap I’ve seen since my last bad bout of food poisoning.
Basically, a troll gets younger as each year goes by and believe me, that takes just as long as it sounds. Go see it if you want to see and old man pervert a small child, get on a small boat, live in a small cold country while steadily getting less and less wrinkled. I could see the same thing after getting out of long bath.
The only light relief was an old man who was continuously struck by lightning, this however was also mercilessly stabbed to death by the time it was shown for the 3rd of 7 times. This "film" was void of any interest, emotion, acting ability, engagement and every other aspect that could make any motion picture watchable.
To compare it to other movies would be wrong. I prefer to compare it to having my fingernails slowly pulled out while having a fat man sit on my face, at least that’s what Brad Pitt must have been threatened with to accept this role which he carried off without a hint of enthusiasm or display that he had ever acted before. Don’t go to see this movie, as Benjamin gets younger and younger, you must endure this lifeless tale while you only get older and older.

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cecil said...

Posted on Feb 09 2009 23:47 Hollywood Studio's sticky fingers all over this one. An exceedingly manipulative film that is filled that never quite gets over its own cleverness. Its been a long time since I've seen a film that is this self-conscious. And with such a Pedigree behind the Production of it, and in front of the Camera, its a mystifying result. Perhaps one that smacks of either too much interference from the Money Boys - or not enough.
There's alot of Voice Over in this 2Hour 55 minute Feature, and the result is distancing, While I was being told what to feel and what to think I just didn't care about the Characters Im watching.
While the CGI is an interesting notion, I found it impossible to stay in the film while marvelling at Cate Blanchett's head morphed onto a Ballerina's body. Ultimately it's an interesting experiment that detracted from the story rather than added to it.
The fact that this film has been nominated for so many Oscars says alot about the Culture of Hollywood and what they deem to be a creditable film..
. Save your money and see a film that has a director and writer at the top of their game, Slum-dog Millionaire. Now THATS a film.

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Lynn said...

Posted on Feb 09 2009 23:41 It was slow, boring and a big disappointment. I went to see it with my aunt for a treat and we both decided to leave atfer the interval (a much needed break in this painfullly tediuos and lumbering farfetched tale!)

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cecil said...

Posted on Feb 09 2009 23:24 Hollywood and Studio's sticky fingers all over this one. An exceedingly manipulative film that with an overused Music Score and heavy flashback seeks to spell out any potential sub-text, and therefore destroys any chance of audience involvement. If you like your films Intelligent, and with a modicum of subtlety dont see this.
There's also alot of Voice Over in this 2Hour 55 minute Feature, and the result is distancing. After just under 3 hours I want to care about the Characters Im watching, but I didn't.
The fact that this film has been nominated for so many Oscars says alot about that body and what they deem to be entertainment in films. Apparently absence of authenticity, and a good story don't matter. Just throw alot of money at the screen in terms of Art Department, CGI, and get some cracking "names" for the leads and your a shoe- in!. Save your money and see a film that has a director and writer at the top of their game, and see Slum-dog Millionaire. Now THATS a film.

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