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Sunday, 25 January 2009 09:05 pm
Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
CCBB would be only the second fantasy ever to win Academy Best Picture, yet I will not be at all surprised if it does. Even putting aside the nearly record number of nominations, it has the feel of previous Best Pictures. Forrest Gump repeatedly came to mind as I watched, what with the multi-decade scope, the on-and-off romance, the gentle score alternating with era hits, and the heavy-handed symbolism.
But my dad and I aren't sure just how good to pronounce CCBB. While never exactly boring, the pace is frequently slower than it has to be, which is significant when the film runs 2 hours and 45 minutes. The second half is less interesting. Characters other than Benjamin tend to be cardboard cutouts, especially the sea captain. Some questions remain unanswered, such as how Benjamin could know all the details surrounding one particular event. CCBB is never as funny as FG, and I don't think it's quite as poignant. Benjamin's romantic and sexual mores leave something to be desired, yet the filmmakers tacitly approve them. (Guess we have to expect as much from David Fincher.)
It's still good, I grant, and perhaps a worthier contender than Milk. But if it were up to me, underdog Slumdog Millionaire would win. Now there's some diversity I really want to see in the Academy pantheon. And hey, IMDb voters collectively consider it the second best movie of 2008. You can guess the first.
But my dad and I aren't sure just how good to pronounce CCBB. While never exactly boring, the pace is frequently slower than it has to be, which is significant when the film runs 2 hours and 45 minutes. The second half is less interesting. Characters other than Benjamin tend to be cardboard cutouts, especially the sea captain. Some questions remain unanswered, such as how Benjamin could know all the details surrounding one particular event. CCBB is never as funny as FG, and I don't think it's quite as poignant. Benjamin's romantic and sexual mores leave something to be desired, yet the filmmakers tacitly approve them. (Guess we have to expect as much from David Fincher.)
It's still good, I grant, and perhaps a worthier contender than Milk. But if it were up to me, underdog Slumdog Millionaire would win. Now there's some diversity I really want to see in the Academy pantheon. And hey, IMDb voters collectively consider it the second best movie of 2008. You can guess the first.