A captivating masterpiece?

Rating: 8/10 (12 March 2015)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a weird little - it's a 2 hours and half - film. The subject is intriguing enough to get you to watch it but you stay because it's simply captivating. I was so invested in the story that I cried several times while watching it. The film is touching and heartwarming, and also subtle. It seamlessly breezes through times and really brings to life what the tagline is about "Life isn't measured in minutes but in moments."
The film does go through Benjamin Button's life and really shows every step, moments, that defined who he is. The movie is very much grounded in reality which makes the fantasy elements of the story real. You quickly believe that a boy born old but with the mind of baby is possible. So the magic is there, grounded in the reality of Benjamin's life. I don't know who to accredit this to but it's very clear, palpable, that when Benjamin is growing up, looking like a man in his nineties his youthful energy shines through.
Brad Pitt, being the title character is just stunning in this film. He helps make the weird aspects of the film OK. The same goes for Taraji P. Henson, she makes the old wrinkled baby the most normal thing, she brought the dramatic gut wrenching emotions of a mother's love in all her scenes. They all have their moments Julia Ormond, Tilda Swinton and Cate Blanchett all bring another layer, another moment in Benjamin's life. Blanchett evokes the undeniable question of love, and a lasting one as that. Benjamin's condition raises a valid question about age and love, which is interestingly dealt with in the film.
More than a riveting story with great acting, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a technical prowess. The make up, the cinematography, and the special effects are mind-blowing Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett look older and then younger and it's done beautifully. The darkness and lighting in David Fincher's style of film making really compliments the story but more so the technicality of the film. He was the perfect director for and did an amazing job throughout.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a wonderful film about time, life, and love. It's another David Fincher masterpiece that is timeless.