Time flies by when you're the driver of a train

Rating: 6/10 (18 February 2009)

The curious thing about Benjamin Button is that he is born an old man and dies a baby. Born old. Dies young. Geddit?
This sets the scene for Brad Pitt to deliver such lines as "I'm seven, but I look a lot older", and "will you still love me when I get acne?". And am reading too much of a Mrs Robinson into it when a latterly older Cate Blanchett dismisses Brad Pitt with an off-hand "Good-night Benjamin"? Need more? I thought not.
I found this a wearisome film which perversely aged me disproportionately throughout its 166 minutes. Just how many times can the Daisy or Benjamin characters "return"? I lost count. And interest. This was a short story for heavens sake. Did we really need the trail through U-boats, Presidents, and hurricanes?
This isn't going to be a popular review I'm sure. I apologise in advance. But it's Awards season, and I'm reeling from a barrage of big guns. Oh for a summer of quietly considered films.
Ron
(Viewed 8Feb09)