Benjamin Gump

Rating: 10/10 (10 August 2010)

This is a movie with a kind of hokey premise: a man whose life cycle is reversed, being born old and getting younger. The production values are as high as can be possibly achieved, and the acting by all the players, both starring and supporting, is excellent. The movie 'feels' like Forrest Gump in many ways. The hummingbird is the feather, the frame story being in essence narrated by a major character, love passing in and out of the player's lives, encounters with historical events, and on and on.
CCBB tells its story without humor, but humor is not really called for, and would no doubt be out of place. Neither is it a tragedy, as one of its themes, that of life running its course, regardless of which aging direction, is not tragic, but merely inevitable. It is a great film visually. The encounter between the tugboat and the U-boat is wonderfully done, as are all the period aspects of the film.
Brad Pitt, a favorite of mine, gives an even and convincing, yet understated performance as the title character. He is clearly well-directed and up to the task without any hint of hamming or emoting. Cate Blanchett is excellent, as usual, as is Tilda Swinton. But despite individually excellent performances, the movie is cohesive and a pleasure to watch.
I defend the long length of the film on the grounds that a)it seemed to fly by, and b)I did not want it to end. Highly recommended!