Drama/Romance for not so Drama/Romance Guys

Rating: Null/10 (11 September 2011)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was an excellent drama/romance even for those not so fond of the emotional rollercoasters used in dramas. The drama is man versus nature as Benjamin battles life with the cards he had been dealt. Benjamin is born with an unusual condition, he is born old. He enters the world as an infant at the age of 80 years old. Benjamin Button who is played by Brad Pitt for the majority of the movie is also played by six other actors. Benjamin grows up in a retirement home where he learns valuable lessons about life and how it should be appreciated and treasured. The director uses a subjective point of view to show the audience how the events in Benjamin's life impact him and attempts to engulf the viewers with the same feelings. The camera angles and close-ups of Benjamin after being disappointed show us how the child/old man feels this pain. At the beginning of the movie I actually had great difficulty visualizing this old man as a child however, the acting along with the camera angles showed how the old man showed disappointment like a young boy, well done. Later he meets a Daisy Fuller played by Cate Blanchett while he is still young but looks about 70. Daisy is special to Benjamin and she realizes that he is different. They become good friends and begin to share a special bond. While the children are at the retirement home the director uses very soft lighting. Much of the acting at the retirement home is done in candlelight which really brings the audience into the movie. We ultimately realize that Daisy is the old woman in the hospital. Her daughter Caroline Fuller played by Julia Ormond is reading the events of Benjamin's life. If I had to choose one piece that I could say I did not like about the movie was the two and one half hour run time. There were points in the movie where I was still interested but restless. Although the movie ends very dramatically it felt as though it took just a little too long to get there. Having said that, I do believe that the emotional impact given by the director in the end would not have had the dramatic effect it did have if scenes had been removed.
This movie showed great resemblance to another movie, Forever Young. In this movie the theme and conflict surrounding the move is about time and love lost. Mel Gibson who played Daniel McCormick is frozen in a time capsule and at the conclusion of both movies the viewers are left with a feeling of unaccomplished goals. Both of these movies are man versus nature and well performed.
Overall I would rate this movie very high. It was able to gain and maintain my interest even though I would typically pass the title over.