Benji Buttons is very Gumpish

Rating: 9/10 (17 January 2009)

There is a good reason this movie has a Gumpish feel to it...probably because Roth, the screenwriter was attached to both movies. Effects were used to drive the storyline instead of trying to overstimulate the viewers senses (this was contrary to a counterpoint thesis I wrote in film school about the negative implication movie magic effects would have on the eve on movies like Independence Day...I said it would destroy storyline, and from my experience, in most cases it did.....this is definitely an exception to that counterpoint) It had drama, humor, action (the submarine battle scene was sweet). Although clocking in just under 3 hours the story pushed the time along, and ironically... the movie's theme of time within a lifespan doesn't seem to drag. The love story is nice but it lost the one star for overdoing it. I think 10-15 mins lighter, the film would not have suffered in the story being told of his affection for this particular girl. There is a recurring story within the story regarding lightening which I will not divulge but is HILARIOUS. Overall, this was very entertaining. I am still on the fence as to what if so and so...played B. Buttons. Story was good enough to hold up to many A list actors but Brad made this character his.....and not to understate his abilities but I give the most credit to David Fincher...who clearly made a movie out of his element (Seven, Fight Club). Stylistically, this is way different to anything he has ever done in the past, and he (in my opinion) made a masterpiece