More coffee please...

Rating: 4/10 (25 January 2009)

Thank heavens I watched this on a screener so I could fast forward! Two hours and 46 minutes, I thought this movie would never end. It's no secret, this film is the story of a guy that ages backwards. Told from the perspective of flashbacks from a diary being read to a woman on her deathbed. He's born an ugly old, wrinkled, and arthritic baby in a scene that reminded me of "It's Alive" (people look at the baby and gasp from fear). The first part of the movie is like an extended "Twilight Zone" episode. And then the film continues on to tell his life story; touching, sensitive, and emotional throughout. He has many life experiences, but always goes back to his childhood sweetheart (his childhood being a 12 year old that looked like Dick Cheney). It is, obviously, a love story. But Benjamin knows he is aging backwards and doesn't want to burden his sweetheart with his old age (which in his case will be {SPOILER ALERT} an infant with dementia) so he splits, only to be found later as a demented boy and cared for by her anyway. I have not read F. Scott Fitzgerald's book so I don't know how true the movie is to the story. But I do know that this movie could have told the story in much less than 166 minutes. It's just too darn long, and the length (in my opinion) undermines the enjoyability if the film because some scenes just drag on. Fincher has done some excellent work in the past and it seems his goal was to outdo himself on this film. Sometimes less is better. The makeup, score, and cinematography are great. But if I was a member of AMPAS this would not be my choice for the Best Picture Oscar. Slumdog Millionaire tells a love story and story of growing up in less time, and with exceptional cinematography, a better screenplay, and fantastic performances by actors I have never heard of. It gets my vote (if I had one).