The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | David Fincher, 2008
Which filmmaker do you believe best represents modern American cinema? Which filmography would you choose, if you could, to represent such a great country and its ever-increasing array of films? It’s a question that I’m sure many have thought about but, of course, there is no concrete answer. There is however a general consensus as to the recognised greats of American cinema and with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button the reclusive writer/director David Fincher cements his place among this select few, turning away from the thriller genre to present us with something entirely different. Many people question the standard of new movies considering the status of older films, but tend to forget that thanks to an ever-advancing level of technology filmmakers today are really pushing the boundaries of their medium. Benjamin Button is the perfect example of this, but is much, much more than just visual wizardry. The tale itself is based upon the premise for a short story written by famed American author F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1921 about a man who ages backwards. The film sees Fincher rekindle his relationship with Brad Pitt, an actor with whom he has worked on several occasions before. Pitt, playing the titlular character, also links up with Cate Blanchett, opposite whom he acted in Babel and Darren Aronofsky’s short-lived first draft of The Fountain. These professional relationships no doubt help solidify the foundation of trust that is crucial to any project of this size.
For Fincher this may indeed be an important step towards embracing the spectacle of conventional cinema, for Benjamin Button seems more at home in the theater than any of his previous efforts. The narrative itself is decidedly unconventional however, which may be part of the reason – along with the aforementioned technological implications – that this project has been on so many desks down the years but has taken until now to finally see the light of day. Our protagonist Benjamin is abandoned as a baby on the stoop of an old persons’ home, and as celebrations for the end of the first World War rage around him is taken in by a kindly black carer named Queenie (Taraji P. Henson) who raises him as her own. Benjamin instantly takes himself to be one of these aging, addled individuals but learns soon enough that life has a different course mapped out for him. Although he sees the world through different eyes to those around him, Benjamin remains distinctly ordinary and down-to-earth throughout the entire film. This in itself is one of the many beautiful touches to be found in Benjamin Button, for the sheer modesty of Benjamin’s personality quite wonderfully complements the rich and rather special nature of his life story – a story that is put to the screen with the utmost attention paid to its pacing.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is true cinema. It is the perfect example of how to take a daunting premise and knead it into something that eclipses even the ambitious nature of the premise itself. It is complete, not only in its cyclical narrative but also in accomplishing what it sets out to do. Namely that of exploring the mystery of life and of death in a way that few films have ever done. Never before have I come across a motion picture that despite ending on the saddest note is such a celebration of life. Through Fincher’s masterful direction and Eric Roth’s outstanding adapted screenplay we are taught that life in all its glory is not about minutes, but about moments. Benjamin Button touches on the idea that youth is wasted on the young, and that the ultimate regret of the aged is in their discovering that life must be lived to its fullest. Once Benjamin has traversed the afflictions of old age he has already come to realise this fact, and in turn we realise that the world is too small and life is too short for a person of his ambition. Another jewel in the film’s already heavy crown is the haunting composition of Alexandre Desplat who outdoes himself here. A majestic score to match a mastery of filmmaking from David Fincher. Grandiose, resounding and ultimately timeless, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one for the ages.
Our Rating:
