by Tricia L

Created on: April 15, 2010   Last Updated: April 16, 2010

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was released in January 2009, (UK), and nominated for 13 oscars of which it won 3; for make-up, visual effects and art direction. It was directed by David Fincher, whose previous work includes Seven, Fight Club, The Panic Room and Zodiac.

If you're thinking of watching it for the first time it's worth noting the running time, which is 166 minutes, that's 2 and three quarter hours, so make sure you settle yourself down early on.

The premise of the story is that a child, (Benjamin Button played by Brad Pitt), is born with the body of an old man and grows physically younger as he gets older. It's a strange idea, but an interesting one that throws up lots of possibilities and potential scenarios to explore.

The film spans his life from his birth at end of the first world war through eighty years. Some scenes are narrated by Button with a few 'words of wisdom' about life's events thrown in. Add to this Button's Southern drawl and the fact that at times he is playing the part of a child in an adult's body and you can see why this film has been compared to Forrest Gump. However, I do think it is doing this film a great disservice to compare it with the misogynistic, homophobic, jingoistic, celebration of stupidity that is Forrest Gump, a film I, (you might have guessed), cannot stand. I think Benjamin Button has much more going for it in terms of intelligence, wit and entertainment value.

The story is presented through Buttons diaries which are being read to an old woman on her death bed. There is a bit of background given at the start about a bereaved clockmaker who makes a clock that runs backwards, which is presumably meant to give us some sort of explanation for Button's situation. I've seen this part of the film criticised for being unnecessary, but I think it adds atmosphere and sets the mood for a spooky tale.

I actually found some of the early parts of the film hysterically funny although I'm not sure it was meant to be quite so amusing, but to put it bluntly, it was at times ridiculous to see Pitt behaving like and being treated as a baby in the body of an old man. That said it was still such an interesting plot that I kept watching and became quite absorbed by it. Although it may seem like a bizarre concept, it's not an unexplored idea. At one point Benjamin's lover, Daisy, makes the point that everyone ends up in diapers, and the similarities between the very young and the very old is a well worn subject in general.

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