A Brilliant, Powerful, Unforgettable Masterpiece Of A Film

Rating: 10/10 (8 June 2016)

The premise seemed hollow and I'd heard that the film was very L O N G. Wow -- was I surprised. I was transfixed by the richness of the imagery and the resonance of the characterizations. Every performance in the film -- right down to each and every bit player - flawless! I haven't seen that in a long, long time. We expect Cate Blanchett to be brilliant but I was amazed to find Brad Pitt in the zone as well. He does the most amazing job of playing this unusual, demanding role with quiet understatement ... subtle yet so completely "present". It becomes clear fairly soon that the odd premise is a clever device for examining some of the deepest reflections about what life is ... and what it is not. And it works completely -- the reverse aging novelty allows for a fresh take on just about everything we might have previously thought -- about living and dying -- and about deep personal relationships.
There is so much here! I feel like I've gotten to see four or five great films for the price of one! It didn't seem at all long to me - - in fact, I'd look forward to an even more fabulous directors cut, if there is one. The story line is dazzling -- it's a wonderful ride, full of the highest and lowest adventures of youth and age. And the images are unforgettable: a scarred leg slipped inside a silk stocking ... a mysterious female face shaded by a wide-brimmed hat ... and on and on. There's naval battle scene that's incredibly short -- yet I have never felt such pure, dark, deadly evil -- and such physical vulnerability as I did in that scene. Everything works -- all the wardrobe -- every set -- superbly designed and visually managed. For years David Fincher has been in high demand for directing high-class commercials, where every frame is routinely produced to perfection. No one ever thought you could hold to such standards in a 2 to 3 hour feature film but Fincher seems to do it routinely now.
I would imagine the director happened to read this great novel and wanted to take on the daunting challenge of transforming it into a great film. Most would say "impossible". In the past, movies that follow a character over a lifetime have usually broken the part down for three different actors -- one plays the child, one plays the youth, and one more plays the adult. And there is invariably a huge jolt when the actors changeover. Well, being so focused on the aging process, this story obviously required a lot more than three versions of the character. Reportedly the film took a year to shoot -- and two more years to get the face of Brad Pitt onto all the other Benjamins. For me it works seamlessly.
This is not your feel-good movie of the year. This is not your latest thrills and spills blockbuster. If that's your thing, look elsewhere. But if you enjoy and appreciate meaningful, memorable, epic motion pictures -- in the tradition of The English Patient, Lawrence Of Arabia, and Citizen Kane -- you will be challenged and you will be moved. Great films stay with you forever -- this is a great film.