wlmowery

Saw this as the third film in a day after Christmas movie marathon. I think it is a very interesting film, one that requires a bit of retrospective before grading. Overall, it kept my interest for its full runtime (not a minor thing given 7 hours of film time that day). Brad Pitt is effective, serving as the blank slate of BB that is filled in as the film progresses. Kate Blanchette is wonderful as the female lead. I think she is one of the most classically beautiful screen sirens of the modern cinema. The storyline was fanciful, but endearing. The production qualities were excellent overall. It did strike me as Gumpish at times, but for me that was not necessarily a negative. On first consideration, I would have graded this a B to B+. But given time to think back on the themes of love, life and death that the run through the film, I think B+ to an A- is more in the range of final grades. This is a film that begs a second viewing, I believe.

Shannon Nutt

I almost feel like a grinch saying this, because I did think Benjamin Button was a good movie - but it's far, far from a "great" one. Too many problems for me to rank it among the "best" of 2008.

Some examples:

- All movies are "manipulative" to one point or another, but I can't think of another 2008 film that is so blatantly so. There's enough deaths, tragedies and "goodbyes" in this movie to fill up half a dozen flicks.

- The character of Benjamin is too reactionary. He seems more of a witness to history than a participant.

- Does Benjamin ever get mad? Jealous? Outraged? Apparently not. His passivity throughout the film makes him less "real," and consequently a less complete character.

- This is more of a nitpick, but if Benjamin was born as an infant, and then gradually got younger as his body grew to its proper height, why on earth would he start SHRINKING in size as he got to the end of his life? Logically, Benjamin should appear younger and younger, but remain the same height.

- I realize one technically can't be accused of copying their own work, but Roth's screenplay borrows heavily from his one for Forrest Gump - from the narration of the main character, to the passage through history, to a certain tugboat captain that not-so-vaguely reminded me of a shrimpin' boat captain.

- Finally, what's the "lesson" of the film? Does the main character learn anything differently about life than a normal human would? Does the audience? I don't think so.

project86

Well, it was his journal they were reading, which would make more sense why it felt more like a witness, than a participant.

riley_dude

I went on Saturday, or should I say, tried to see it. We arrived about 30 minutes before Showtime and there was only room in the first two rows. I couldn't sit for 3 hours like that so we will go back next weekend.

Groucho

Good movie, but I think "ran over the submarine" should replace "nuked the fridge" in Internet vernacular.

Brack

submarines weren't as strong as you assume.

Patman

Probably the main point would be don't be afraid of trying to change your life no matter what age you are if you aren't satisfied with your current circumstances, or don't be afraid of change that is forced upon you, and have the courage to leave when necessary. See the world, don't be afraid of people with different backgrounds or viewpoints, rather, embrace the differences to learn and grow.

Brack

I'd say this is accurate. It's almost verbatim of one of Button's letters.

PopcornTreeCt

Does Benjamin ever find love in his life? Happiness? Joy? Yes, very much so. His life is one long tragedy, it's no surprise that he would be indifferent to disappointment.

Did Forrest Gump ever get mad? Jealous? Outraged?

mdc3000

I really really liked this one a lot... one of the best of the year, but I still haven't seen a movie that I'd call 'The best movie of 2008' but this is pretty damn close... bonus points for having the coolest studio logos in a long time - that was a fucking fantastic way to start the movie.

fumanstan

I almost forgot about the logos. I thought those looked great.

Tarantino

I saw it tonight. Very funny at parts, pretty heartbreaking at others...but it was just very, very long.

It was a good movie. A good movie that I won't ever watch again.

= J

Shannon Nutt

This sums it up for me. Ebert was right when he said (more or less) that this is a movie that people aren't going to remember long into the future. I doubt many of us will be here 10 years from now saying "Benjamin Button" was one of the best films of the first decade of the new century.

I don't even think this is among Fincher's best work - Zodiac, The Game and Seven were all stronger, more sastifying films.

Kenshiro

Liked the film, not Fincher's best. Of the three films that he and Pitt have done together this is third in my book. Blanchett is great in this.

Nice to see Julia Ormond.

Sanjuro37

I'd pretty much agree. I think it's one of the best of this year and it is a downright beautiful film, but Se7en and Fight Club are just so much better. I put this 4th after those two and the Zodiac Director's Cut in terms of Fincher's best.

Kenshiro

Can't speak to this, as I haven't seen the DC of Zodiac yet. Still agonizingly waiting for the Blu-ray to be released which I think is right around the corner.

Shannon Nutt

January 27th.

FM

I think that I'll remember it in 10 years; hell, I think I'll remember it in 20.

PopcornTreeCt

I agree. I think it's the only movie I've seen this year that is on the same level of 2007's wonderful crop of great movies.

asianxcore

Saw this today with my girlfriend. Really enjoyed the film and it definitely had it's charms.

grrr

The Forrest Gump comparisons were apt; it was a well-crafted film, but not a good one. There were entirely too many character or story arcs that went nowhere or had little emotional substance If they'd been cut completely or expanded upon significantly, the film would've worked better. As it is, it left me frustrated by the storytelling, which is in turns moving and inept. The deaths of some pivotal characters are also passed off with hardly a word or tear. The story is too cold, the characters too remote and character-ish to be taken seriously. And This cut is too saccharine, too much in need of major revision.

Much has been made of the effects as well, and for the most part they make the film. There were a few problems, though, particularly with the early shots of Benjamin, most of which made him look like Gollum in a wrinkled suit. Blanchett's aging was perfect, as was Pitt's youth-ing toward the end. Some of the dubbing for the child actors was downright awful, though, on the level of Space Cowboys.

The performances were sound. Pitt does the best he can, as always. Blanchett pulls off a difficult character very well, in turns charming and self-centered and irritating. Many of the minor characters were thinly veiled stereotypes, but no one phoned in a role. Even the child actors were good (dubbing aside).

I didn't dislike the film, but I can't offer any great praise for it. Fincher isn't cut out for maudlin magical realism, and TCCOBB is a step back from Zodiac and Fight Club.

Bobby Shalom

To me the main problem with this film was the love story.

I didn't care at all whether Pitt and Blanchett were going to get together. Their characters didn't make me feel like they deserved love, which is a necessity to me if a love story is going to work

mdc3000

Grrrr - seriously? That lightning stuff was great, brought some well needed laughs to the movie.

beavis69

Saw it last night. Of all the "top" movies this year it was by far the weakest for me. Ive skimmed through this thread and haven't seen it brought up, did anyone else think it stole from Titanic a lot. The beginning with the flashback to the clock and the narration to me was so close to Titanic it was ridiculous. The look and the storytelling techniques were so by the book for this type of movie is was comical.

Also, as mentioned above, how he regressed to a baby it made no sense. He was born a baby, just old, why wouldn't he have grown into a baby. I could just see them writing this and get to the middle and realize "aw man, a giant baby would look stupid and people would laugh. Lets just make him shrink back down."

Ultimately i think it tried to come off as an epic, but in the coming years will easily be forgotten by most

Coral

I thought the film was passable, but it was nowhere near a great film. It's not something I would want to watch again.

I too felt it was too much like Forrest Gump... way too many similarities. There were many times in the film where I would automatically be reminded of a similar scene or dialog from FG.