Growing Younger Never Was Interpreted Better

Rating: 10/10 (27 December 2008)

I have always loved "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald; both the book and the movie. When I heard about this movie in the summer, and I found out it was based off F. Scott Fiztgerald's book about a man who is getting younger instead older, I jumped at the chance to see it. It was a plus that Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, and Julia Ormond were in it. Today I headed to the theater with Heather to see if this movie was able to do Fitzgerald justice. It did.
After the 30 minutes of commercials and previews, the movie finally started. It was very creative of Paramount to have the Paramount icon created full of buttons. I already knew that I was going to love the movie, even though that really had nothing to do with it.
The acting was superb. From the beginning of the movie, I had tears in my eyes and laughter coming out of my mouth. Pitt did an amazing job as the curious Benjamin Button. At every moment of his age, I believed him. He played the old man with a child's innocence with such precision that I had to remind myself that it wasn't based off a true story.
A big and happy surprise was the acting of Taraji Henson, who played Button's adoptive mother. I know that after this movie, she is going to have movie offers left and right. Pitt and Henson had such a wonderful chemistry that I felt the mother/child love from each of them. Of course, Blanchett and Swinton were just as amazing.
The symbolism in the movie was well thought out. I haven't read the book, so I'm not sure if it was in there already. The hummingbird flying around in unexpected times signified the freedom and bewilderment that surrounded Button and Daisy. The people Benjamin met all molded him into the person he was. It was great how he recognized that.
It was great how past events were shown using an old-fashioned camera. It kind of took the same method in "Forrest Gump." I thought that it gave visual breaks in the long movie. What made it more interesting is how they used different formats of old cameras to represent the past.
The movie made me cry. It reminded me of my true love and I, and how he was the only person who ever loved me on first sight. Button's and Daisy's love was beautiful and wonderful, and I wish that I could have this with him. It wasn't all about true love. It had a wonderful message about living your life and never thinking you are too old to do something. However, the love story helped.
Definitely a movie that I am going to get on DVD when it comes out.