A bit long but a great date movie

Rating: 8/10 (18 December 2008)

I'll start off by recalling my favorite moment on the screen. Cate Blanchett dances to a moon lit gazebo as the young dancer while the somewhat elderly Brad Pitt looks on. She's talking a mile a minute as the blossom just ready to be picked up. But Pitt decides not to pick, the time is not right. Very bittersweet.
There's lot of bittersweet moments in this movie and it does run too long. For too long, we see Pitt as the aged kid. Best moment here for me is getting his first drink and first lay on the same night.
The set of circumstances that accumulate to Cat getting hit by a car and he sees her in the hospital. The two of them about the same age making love in a sail boat and pausing to watch the Beatles on TV while setting up house.
For me, the Benjamin Button character could have waited a few years and foregone the backpacking in India which made me feel less sympathetic to him. By the way, Pitt as an actor is called upon to be passive throughout. With less screen time, Cate is able to to display a wider display of emotions.
Eric Roth came up with a very haunting screenplay. I just wish Fincher cut some of it to make a stronger movie. It's still quite good and a great date movie.