Since I saw this film advertised in my Empire magazine I really wanted to see it, I enjoy Brad Pitt's work and I knew that it would be good, but I wasn't prepared for what it delivered.

The Plot

This is the interesting thing about the movie, the plot it was made me want to watch this film anyway. Benjamin Button begins his life at the end of his life, he is born and looks like an 80 year old man, and has to deal with not only learning new things like beginning to talk, walk etc, but also dealing with arthritis and the fact that his organs were failing.

The film follows Benjamin as he grows older through the years, but his appearance begins to change, he begins to get younger and so the story begins. Benjamin has to live his life get younger, whilst those around him get younger.

The Cast

Brad Pitt plays Benjamin Button

This is the performance of his life, by far. Pitt plays Benjamin, he was born as a baby in an old mans body. As he grows, he begins to get younger, beginning the story of his life. Pitt plays Benjamin from when he was about 7 looking like an old man, through till what should be about 60 where he looks like a young teenage boy. The special effects team were brilliant, but it was Pitt that delivered this performance and made this role what it was.

He has this quiet confidance about him when he's playing Benjamin, he has this sparkle in his eye, which shows you that the old man is really Brad Pitt just under a lot of makeup and special effects. It truly is a brilliant performance by him, one worthy of an Oscar in my opinion.

Cate Blanchett plays Daisy

Blanchett plays Benjmain's childhood friend Daisy, like normal people, Daisy ages normally, and you follow her from a young age to an old woman. Daisy would have worked if played by anybody, however I think Blanchett really took the role by her hands and because she had so much chemistry with Pitt it just worked for a character. This is the performance of her life. Brilliant.

My Opinion

This film may not be the sort of film that everyone would like, I was shocked before going to see this at all the bad comments about this on IMDb.com, there was even talk of the film being pushed back for release until the summer due to comments on the site.

I did enjoy this film, I really did. Firstly the idea of the film is just brilliant, seeing Brad Pitt go from tons and tons of make-up looking like an 80 year old man, to his usual self. I have to say, for a man of his age, he really does look good as he gets younger in the film. In the film, Benjamin grows up in an old people's home, as this is what the woman who took him in does for a living, she runs an old people's home. This is a great metaphor for the film, as it really does add so much emotion to the film, Benjamin looks the same age as these people who have come to this place to die, and that's what they do, left right and centre he sees these people dying, where as he is getting younger by the day.

One of the things I noticed was this film was fuelled a lot by one word, Fate. All the way through you feel this, you feel that when Daisy and Benjamin meet, something is going to be there late in life, a lot of what is narrated by Benjamin also talks of fate.

The ending had to be very predictable, but I still found myself chocking up. Benjamin is born as a baby in an old mans body and when he's supposed to grow older he grows younger. Life has to end at some point and for Benjamin he will end it in diapers and not being able to talk of course.

As there are so many good points within the film I'm going to talk about the rest in different sections to make it easier to read:

Acting

For me, if everything else had failed, you should watch this film for this reason and this reason only, the acting in the film is, excuse my French bloody brilliant. Never have I watched a film, where the cast they have hired for the main roles been so perfect. I think the role of Daisy could have been done by many actresses and have worked, but Cate Blanchett was just amazing at Daisy. The accent she uses sounds so real, and of course Cate having such a strong Australian accent really pulled off this deep southern accent, which did get on my nerves a little bit, but that doesn't matter. Daisy is an integral part in Benjamin's life and you don't just follow Benjamin as he gets younger, you follow Daisy as she gets older. Blanchett pulls off every scene with such grace and poise that you really see why she deserves to be nominated for academy awards. I have heard that Rachel Weisz was supposed to play Daisy and I don't think that would have been as believable as Blanchet was.

I haven't talked about Brad Pitt yet. I have watched this man act in all different types of films, from one of his first Thelma and Louise to the likes of Seven and Meet Joe Black, but no performance comes close to this performance he gave when playing Benjamin Button. There is one scene that sticks out in my mind for sure, this is also a great thumbs up to the special effects team, but it has the 9 year old Button I believe standing in front of the mirror, looking about 60/70, however it is so obviously Brad Pitt. His eyes sparkle through and you get this throughout the whole film. He is what makes this film amazing to watch, it must have been a challenge to film, but he pulled it off and has given his best performance yet.

Chemistry

This is very important in a film like this, the leads have to have great chemistry and Blanchett and Pitt really do. They are so powerful together and it is so believable that this woman who is young is enthralled by this man who appears to be years older, it is believable and beautiful at the same time.

The chemistry these two actors have within the film is just captivating, each hand hold, each kiss, each joke is done with so much emotion that you believe every second of it. Only the best actors can do this and these two pulled it off brilliantly.

Cinematography

The money spent on this film must be a tremendous as there are so many scenes that are so powerful and have so much going on. With the film being so long, every 10 minutes seems to move onto a different scene and this is what keeps the movie flowing and this for me is what is so brilliant for the film.

You don't get the opinion that anything was held back, each special effect that was needed was used, visually the film was just stunning and it really was just amazing to watch each scene play out and you sit there wondering what they're going to do next.

Special Effects

This plays a very big part within the film, of course Daisy ages normally, but the film follows her from a very young age, till a very old age. I believe Blanchett picks up the role when she's about 17 and the special effects used made her looking about this age, so realistic and so believable that it almost looked like a different actress.

The greatest special effects done were on Brad Pitt however, more specifically Benjamin. Benjamin is born as a baby in an old mans body, so the special effects to make this baby look like an 80 year old man were just frighteningly good.

This wasn't the end for the special effects, throughout these are used in different parts of the film to show Benjamin's journeys. They made the film visually a masterpiece.

David Fincher- Director

The direction in this film was as magnificent as everything else, he directed these actors brilliantly and they both made probably their best film of their lives. Fincher who is best known for films like Seven or Zodiac managed to bring so much grace and fluidity to the scenes and to the actors it really did just all work.

I think he had a very hard job, the film is just under 3 hours long, which is a long time to be sat in the cinema. Due to the fact this is a hate it or love it film it was a risk to make this such a long film, but it worked so well and Fincher has took something that could have been awful and made it absolutely brilliant.

Book/Screenplay/Idea

This is what caught my attention in the first place; the idea of life in reverse is just amazing, so complicated but simple at the same time. I had heard so many bad reviews about this film, due to the length and the fact it was boring because of this, I wasn't sure.

The screenplay is just brilliant, it's so simple but full of different things happening to Benjamin the entire way through are so poignant for his life. I went to see this with a few mates, 1 actually fell asleep but the rest of us were enthralled throughout, the film is long, no doubt about that, but the time just flies by if you enjoy it.

Bad Points

Of course with a film of this length there are going to be some bad points, these are things I had to look for I have to say.

Accents
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The old woman that talks I believe is Cate Blanchett and her accent when talking is so annoying and such a bug that I found myself getting quite irritated and hoping that they go back to Brad Pitt narrating.

Too Long
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The film is 166 minutes, not far behind 3 hours of footage, this is way too long, the film flies by but there are scenes that could have easily have been cut. I dread to think of the length before it was edited.

Should You Watch The Film?
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To watch the film, you need to make sure you ignore all reviews including this one, as most films have you either love it, hate it or like me are slightly unsure about it. I think this is due to the sheer length and the fact that it could have been cut in length.

In my opinion, the film is well worth checking out, and to make up your mind about it. If you can't sit down for a long time, then wait till this film is on DVD before you see it, as you will need to pause it as it is nearly 3 hours. Blanchett and Pitt have given the performance of their careers, I'm amazed that Benjamin Button didn't win anything at the Golden Globes, maybe this'll mean it'll miss out on the Oscar is deserves, but I think there are so many amazing films out there which aren't as long that might beat it to the post, which is a damn shame.

Hopefully this helps.

Learn more about this author, Kirsty Fowler.
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