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Sunday, January 25, 2009

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - SPOILER


After it was nominated for 13 Oscars, my hubby and I thought that we had better see Benjamin Button. Okay...my husband wanted to see it when it opened, but I was dragging my feet...at the very least, I knew it would end badly.

As Daisy Williams lies dying in a New Orleans hospital on the day hurricane Katrina is about to hit, she asks her daughter, Caroline to read to her from Benjamin Button's diary. The Epic fantasy love story begins with Benjamin being born as New Orleans celebrates the end of World War I. Distraught by his wife dying shortly after the birth of their son and horrified by the sight of the baby, the father (owner of the button factory) leaves his son on the steps of a retirement home. Queenie, a loving black woman who runs the home, takes Benjamin in.

A doctor is called in to look at the child and Queenie is told that he will die soon. He was born with the health conditions and skin of someone in their eighties. Benjamin fits right in with the old people that he lives with. And they seem to forget that he is just a child. One day, a little girl (the young Daisy) comes to visit her grandmother. She is able to see through his exterior and knows that he is a child like her. And thus begins the romance that is doomed from the beginning.

Just like the rest of us, time marches on for Benjamin Buttons...even though it marches in reverse. Growing up in a retirement home, Benjamin got to see death close up and chooses to experience life to the fullest. But he understands more than anyone the challenges that will face him as he grows younger. Even he cannot cheat death.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button totally dispells the rumour that youth is wasted on the young.

This 2 hour and 45 minute movie was based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. That should give you an inkling of the pace of this movie.

The cinematography of the movie was wonderful. Shot after shot was stunning and could be hung on your living room wall as art. Watching it, you just felt you were seeing something Oscar worthy. But as many movies are, it was shot with that dark look that just added to the melacholy mood. And just about the time that you were about to start slitting your wrists, it would flash back to Mr. Daws, a retirement home resident that had been struck by lightning 7 times. Fortunately, for all of us watching the movie, he had been filmed each time he was struck by lightning and each one was quite humorous.

Two and a half hours into the movie, I was reminded of a Seinfeld episode where Elaine goes to see The English Patient and she is shouting, "die, die already". I never shouted for him to die and I'm glad I saw it, but please don't make me see it again.

1 comment:

  1. I agree! Glad I saw it. But not a movie I'd watch again. I love your comment about Elaine...I'm excited I've actually seen a movie up for awards.

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