..Gary Dretzka
..Noah Forrest
..Leonard Klady
..David Poland
..Douglas Pratt
..Ray Pride
..Kim Voynar
..Michael Wilmington

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Directed by David Fincher

What a refreshingly “uncommercial” big-budget project! And what a surprisingly enjoyable movie. David Fincher, working at full intensity, gives us the epic adaptation of an obscure (and much-changed) F. Scott Fitzgerald story about a man named Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt), who lives his life backwards. Born as an old, wizened man, he progresses through maturity then back to boyhood and infancy -- leaving his lifelong sweetheart Daisy (Cate Blanchett), trapped in real time.

Meanwhile, as elderly, sick Daisy tells the story in a New Orleans hospital, Hurricane Katrina rages, reminding us what an unholy mess George W. and sidekick Dickie C. made of nearly everything. (The prez and vice-prez’s one Foxy argument for themselves these days seems to be that the country didn’t actually blow up while they were on duty. True, true…).

I liked Benjamin Button. It has a humanistic/historical sweep reminiscent of Forrest Gump (Eric Roth wrote both movies) and it has near-instant likeability, thanks to Pitt and Blanchett (the two commercial elements here). The cinematography (by Claudio Miranda) has a ghostly sensitivity; the production design by Donald Graham Burt effortlessly sweeps us back and forth. And the cast, especially the two leads and Tilda Swinton and Taraji P. Henson, successfully push any buttons they want..

There is a narrative flaw. In all Benjamin’s many decades of life, starting on Armistice Day, 1918 and progressing to nearly now, nobody seems to want to capitalize on this oddity by peddling the tale to the news media. Say what? Does that really make sense? (Why not add a character who wants to spill the beans, but decides not to or is stopped?) In any case though, this is the kind of wistful metaphor-laden fantasy that relies on our good will and our willingness not to ask too many questions. I can’t see a best picture Oscar coming out of it. But a good-hearted, well-crafted, daring picture is always welcome.

-by Michael Wilmington

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