Dreadful - I don't understand the acclaim

Rating: 5/10 (15 June 2009)

The film displayed great technical wizardry and for those interested in special effects, this movie might hold some fascination. However, I found the story ridiculous and off-putting and the special effects didn't help because they came off as a distraction which underscored the whole gimmicky nature of the premise. The film tried to "have it both ways," to be based in a fantasy premise, while presumably providing insights into the "human condition" and I don't think this worked because of a repeatedly jarring problem: nobody reacted in a realistic way to Benjamin Button's aging-backwards situation. There were other plot holes too, of the proverbial "you could drive a truck through it" sort but I will confine my criticisms to that first "sticking point," i.e. people's bland reactions to an aging-backwards person in their midst, which in turn undermined any claim to pointing out truths about life, which the various life experiences of Button seemed intended to accomplish. And PS, what was up with that Katrina business?