One of the best films of '08

Rating: 8/10 (27 April 2009)

The story begins with Julia Ormond as Caroline sitting by her mother's deathbed in a New Orleans' hospital as Hurricane Katrina approaches. Her mother, Daisy, is played beautifully by the extremely talented Cate Blanchett. Daisy asks Caroline to read her a journal which use to belong to an ex-lover of hers, named Benjamin Button. But Benjamin was no ordinary man, he was born as he was approximately eighty years old, and instead of growing older he began to grow younger.
Benjamin is played by Brad Pitt in one of his most emotionally arresting roles. Benjamin is abandoned by his father after his mother dies in child birth. A black couple who work in a nursing home find Benjamin, and decide to keep him and raise him. Queenie (Taraji P. Henson) becomes attached to Benjamin as she is unable to have children of her own. Henson plays Queenie so well, that we feel the warmth and love that he characters emits through the screen. She falls in love with Benjamin, and we fall in love with her which makes her departure later in the film very emotional not just for Benjamin, but for the audience as well.
Benjamin meets a young girl named Daisy, and he quickly develops a strong friendship with the girl which lasts a decade. Later the two are separated when Benjamin goes off to work in a tugboat. They visit Russia where he meets a British woman played by Tilda Swinton and he falls in love with her. The British woman is married, but she has a short-lived affair with Benjamin before leaving abruptly without saying goodbye. Benjamin is visibly heartbroken. He soon forgets about his heartbreak after he gets caught up in World War II after the tugboat where he works is enlisted in the army, and they are attacked. The owner of the tugboat and Benjamin's employer, Captain Mike dies along with other sailors.
After this accident Benjamin decides to go back to New Orleans where he meets a dying Thomas Button who reveals his true identity. Benjamin makes amends with his father before he dies. Meanwhile Daisy is working as a successful ballet dancer in New York City and she has also fallen in love with a fellow dancer. While working in Paris Daisy has an accident which halts her career, Benjamin goes to comfort her but she spurns him coldly. But destiny brings Daisy and Benjamin together again after she goes to New Orleans and they fall in love. They stay together for some time before Daisy gives birth to a daughter, Caroline. Benjamin leaves after realizing that Daisy cannot take care of two children and that he will not be able to be a good father due to the fact that he will grow younger.
Later Benjamin and Daisy meet again. The latter has gotten married and started a life without Benjamin. The two have a one night stand, but they both realize that Daisy has gotten to old for Benjamin. Daisy later takes care of a infant Benjamin who is suffering from dementia. She stays with him in the nursing home until his death. In a very emotional scene Daisy says goodbye to Benjamin as he dies in her arms as a newborn baby.
The film has a lot of emotional scenes, like when Benjamin and his father make amends just before Thomas dies, Benjamin's death in Daisy's arms, the scenes with the younger Benjamin and Daisy, Queenie's funeral, and Daisy's death. For emotional people such as myself this is definitely a cry-fest. But it's so much more than just a tearjerker, it's one of those rare films that you can watch a thousand times and still find something new to marvel at. David Fincher shows why he is a great director, this film is so different from his usual work. He usually does suspense and he is good at it, but here he shows a much softer side to his work as he brings a dramatic romance to the screen. Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt are reunited for the second time, the first time being Babel, and no wonder why. They have great and undeniable chemistry. Pitt is also reunited with director Fincher, and his Burn After Reading co-star, Tilda Swinton.
Definitely a great film with a great message. It's one of the best films of 2008, and worth the watch. Trust me even though it's long, it will not bore you. Every minute is essential and entertaining.