Overrrated...

Rating: 6/10 (13 January 2009)

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button sticks out like a sore thumb in David Fincher's filmography. Having already directed 2 contemporary classics such as the dark and labyrinthine "Se7en" and the ultra violent "Fight Club", Mr. Fincher forays outside his core competence and tries something new in TCCOBB.
With Brad Pitt on his side, and Eric Roth (screenwriter: Forrest Gump, Munich, Ali) writing the screenplay, I would think that Mr. Fincher's first shot at mainstream cinema would be unmissable, and if that's not enough, the "curious" premise of the movie --being born an 80 year old baby and aging backwards-- is attracting moviegoers by the droves for this one.
Alas! In spite of all the talent behind this movie, TCCOBB relegates itself to the barren wastelands of mediocrity. The 'magic' of the premise was not enough to sustain my interest for the whole duration simply because the movie contented itself in showing the obvious and failing to scrape past the crust of Benjamin's feelings, admonitions, hopes and frustrations-- instead the movie labored, in all its 168-minute glory to show TWO key themes: 1. That he QUITE OBVIOUSLY, could not be treated in the same way as other kids and 2. He could not create meaningful relationships .. the whole movie revolved around these 2 themes and at almost 3 hours, you'd think that the movie had gravitas, but it actually has nothing special in it, just a monotonous piece of fantastical story telling.
This movie could have been so much more, the movie could have explored the inner recesses of Benjamin's psyche, did he feel bad about his condition, when he fell in love, what were his initial thoughts? shame? guilt? hopelessness? What were his dreams, did he even have a dream at all, how did his condition affect HIS RELATIONSHIP with HIS OWN SELF, as supposed to his relationship with others.
When he was 10 years old, then 9 yrs old, then 8 years old.. how did he feel about his pending exit from the world not as an old man but as a baby... i would think that since he grew younger, his death would be the slowly taking away of his faculties,. like a degenerative disease... how did he cope with with this destiny.. those were the most "pressing" questions I had while watching the movie... but towards the end of the movie, in the waning years of Benjamin, when he was close to death, WHEN HE WAS MOST INTERESTING.... the movie focused on Daisy (Cate Blanchett)... what a cop out...
After 3 hours of benjamin, i don't know the guy, he's like someone from a friend's girlfriend's dog's doctor's birthday party... he came, then he left.. that is how i feel about benjamin...
No wonder this movie lost to slumdog millionaire in the recently concluded golden globe awards....