The Curious
Case of Benjamin Button
The
Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of the most visually
stunning films I have seen in ages. Photography, visual
effects, costumes and makeup bring together a story spanning
eight decades in the life of a man who ages backwards. It’s
a haunting tale encompassing the themes of innocence, mortality,
and the uniqueness of every individual life. I saw it
24 hours ago, and cannot stopped thinking about it.
Loosely based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Benjamin
Button tells the story of a baby, born at the end of World
War I, with the wrinkles and skin of an 80 year old man. Benjamin’s
mother dies in childbirth, and his father, grief-stricken and
horrified at the sight of the child, leaves Benjamin at a retirement
home where an aide named Queenie finds and raises him. As
a child, Benjamin looks like an old man, even though he has the
mind of a innocent child, taking in everything and everyone around
him.
One day Benjamin sees Daisy, a beautiful red-haired
girl who comes to visit her grandmother at the home. Benjamin
becomes friends with Daisy, and looks forward to her visits. Eventually,
Benjamin decides to leave home as a young man (even though he still
has the appearance of a much older man) to work on a tugboat. He
promises to write Daisy, who herself leaves home for New York to
study dance.
Benjamin’s travels take him to Russia where
he enters into a relationship with an older woman, the wife of
an English spy. After Pearl Harbor, the tugboat crew helps
in the war effort, and, in a spectacular scene, is fired upon by
a submarine. Benjamin survives the attack and eventually
returns home to New Orleans. He once again encounters Daisy,
quite a lovely young lady, returning home from New York.
Eventually, Benjamin, physically ever younger, and
Daisy come together, buy a duplex, and settle down. (The
film is unclear about their marital status.) Daisy becomes
pregnant and has a child. Benjamin is relieved that his daughter
does not share his condition, but, worries that he will not be
able to care for a child with his unusual condition. How
could she care for two children?
Director
David Fincher and screenwriter Eric Roth do a wonderful job telling
the story of the backward-aging Benjamin. I was drawn in
from the beginning, and even though the film is close to three
hours in length, I was never bored. Brad Pitt, giving the
performance of his career, gives the right touch to Benjamin. Unlike
most movies in which it is obvious when the star takes over from
the child actor, I was never certain exactly when Pitt began to
play Benjamin. It’s a great credit to the technical
wizardry of the filmmakers that Benjamin, even as a young child,
seems to have Pitt’s face. The transformation continues
as Benjamin progresses in appearance from an older man to a handsome
young man to a boy and a child. It’s done so seamlessly,
it never seems false or phony. Cate Blanchett gives Daisy
great beauty, passion, elegance, and a love for Benjamin that never
stops. Blanchett has her own transformation. Her graceful
aging contrasts beautifully with Pitt’s surprising youthfulness.
Also effective in the cast is Taraji P. Henson as Queenie, who
loves the strange little baby as her own. The performances
of the fine cast keep Benjamin Button from only being
a special effects movie. I cared about these characters as
characters. As amazing as the effects are, it is the characters
that make the movie. It’s certainly not a freak show.
What makes Benjamin Button such a great
experience for me is the way it all the elements come together: the
story, filmmaking, and acting merge to create a dazzling and haunting
movie. Benjamin learns something from everyone he encounters
in his unusual life, and they all learn from Benjamin. All
are unique expressions of God’s creative genius, coming together
in seemingly random ways to enrich one another. We are all
mortal. Our lives are short and every moment is to be cherished. Ponder
these great mysteries in this season of the Incarnation.
Tom Condon, OP
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Best Supporting Actress:
Penelope Cruz
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association
of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some
material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
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