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Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

REVIEW: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

    “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” was a risk in the film world. It wasn’t just another romantic comedy peppered with A-list actors and put out by the dozen or a cheaply produced sequel relying on an existing fan base for revenue. The plot, adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has never been explored before on the big screen.

    The film explores the life of a Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt), a man who was born old and grows younger with each passing day. It utilizes the style of a story within a story as a modern day woman reads Button’s tale out of diary to her elderly mother on the eve of hurricane Katrina. Benjamin was born as a wrinkled and old baby, barely on the right side of death. He was abandoned by his father, who was afraid of what his wife had conceived, and was found by a poor black woman who took him in and nurtured him. As he lives out his life in a body not fit for his age, Benjamin realizes that pain and loss are a part of life and sometimes you have to give up the things that matter most.

    This movie very clearly lives up to its genre as a drama. With a plot filled with war, pain, and death, it certainly explores a great deal of tragedies. It’s not a movie that will leave audiences with a warm, uplifted feeling, but it is a story that sticks and will never quite be forgotten.

    The movie does have its charms, though. In addition to being sad, the plot was also poignant. It delves into the themes of love and loss, of pain and heartache, and of hope and faith. The cast acted passionately and added a sense of reality to the impossible events.

    On a different level, Button’s transition from 80 to 18 was extremely well visualized. The little changes in his hair color or number of wrinkles from scene to scene are barely noticeable, but the overall effect of him growing younger is extraordinary.

    The concept of a man whose body aged backwards and his mind forwards do contribute a curious element to the film, but the linear plot left something to desired. The shallow twists and turns are easily foreseen and its overly predictable course makes the nearly three hour movie seem as long as the lifetime it is depicting.

    Even with the lackluster plotline, it seems to have inspired someone. It was nominated for 13 Oscars, including one for the best motion picture of the year. It was also nominated for 5 Golden Globes as well as a plethora of awards. And it’s not suffering in the box office, either. As of January 25th, it had grossed over $111 million.

    “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is not a movie that people will run to over and over again. It will not be a classic and it will not change people’s lives. With that said, this one of a kind film succeeded in taking the unique to the big screen and, at least for now, it has captured America’s attention.

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