Last night I had the opportunity to see an advanced screening of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Early this year I read the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald in anticipation of going to see the movie once it was released on Christmas day.
My short review of the short story can be found here.
Walking away yesterday, I realized this is one of the few films that can stand alone from it’s original story. While similiar in theme, the movie is vastly different from the short story Fitzgerald wrote and intertwines a different story of Benjamin that equals what was originally told.
The movie was facinating and detailed. The aging process of all characters was amazing and not easily done, I would suspect. The theme of time plays out from the very beginning – running out of time, losing time, gaining time, timeless.
Brad Pitt does an amazing job as Benjamin Button, giving viewers a glipse of what we may be picturing as the actor himself ages, bringing us all back to Thelma and Louise days when he was younger. I did hear many girls swoon as Benjamin aged younger.
Cate Blanchett, as well, did an amazing job playing Daisy, the woman who has Benjamin’s heart. The age transformation is another glipse into the future only to show us that at any age Blanchett is flawless and beautiful.
Making an extended cameo was Tilda Swinton, who was a surprise to the cast for me. I was unaware she was in the film. She also lends a great performance. As well as Pitt’s own daughter, Shiloh, making her first film debut in a very quick shot. See if you can find her.
A great Christmas day movie to see with the family. Worthy of an Oscar nomination.