We rented Curious Case of Benjamin Button Saturday night, since Blockbuster didn't have "Doubt" in stock. "Doubt" must be a really good movie, they've been out ever since it's dvd release. But, I've been wanting to see Benjamin Button, because of the odd storyline, F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story, of a boy that ages backwards, not to mention that it has one of the ultimate yummies is in it, Brad Pitt. He's been hunky in my book ever since he graced the screen in "Thelma and Louise" as the cowboy drifter. He was absolutely luscious in " Legends of the Fall" and "Meet Joe Black", and of course all those "Ocean's" movies. I was curious to see how it was that he would played the young aged Benjamin, 80 years old on the outside, but only 7 years old in real time. Brad Pitt's movie magic small frame and short stature really does makes us believe that he's the aged Button and everyone around him accepts this oddity with not so much of a blink of the eye. Someone really should tell Queenie that she could have been a rich woman and gained fame and fortune. But she doesn't pay no mind and really doesn't notice that he's is getting younger and more handsome, she's got the elderly to take care of. Curious that this story should take place in an old people's home, where getting old is the way of life and death. Curious that Daisy even at a young age finds herself drawn to the curiosity that is Button. Curious, that I couldn't wait for his transformation.
Much of the movie is told by his narration of his life in detail, how he gets a job on a tug boat during WWII, how he finds grown up sex as a resident of a lonely hotel, how his father who gave him up ultimately regrets that decision and how he inherits his father's small fortune, all the while slowly aging backward. He does finally get the girl, Daisy, played beautifully by Kate Blanchett. They never marry, but they do have a child. I didn't think Julia Ormand playing Daisy and Button's daughter was a good fit. Maybe Julia wanted to make some kind of comeback and that maybe in this film she could capture some of her magic from the "Legends of the Fall". Unfortunately for her, Brad hasn't aged a day in real life, but I can't say the same for Julia. I wanted Daisy's daughter to either show some resemblance to Daisy or Ben, she didn't show any, for all I knew, she could have been the postman's daughter.
Daisy and Ben do find a few good years where they meet in the middle, but when the hands of the clock that's ticking backward for Benjamin and forward for Daisy, how will Daisy reconcile that Ben will one day be a toddler along side their daughter? It was a sad parting, oh retched thing called love! The movie left me with one question, would I want to age backward going from old to young, knowing that one day I would end up in diapers where I would shut my eyes for a nap to have death steal your life? The ending was abrupt and disconcerting, no solace in a love lost, no last longing look into a young Button's face, no Button waiting for Daisy's at death's doorstep to guide her to heaven. No "Ghost" ending here.
The movie is very long, so make sure you have a chunk of three uninterrupted hours, get your popcorn on and savor all things Brad. He's still a yummy, will always be and for me even when he's really eighty!-Single D
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