Review of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) by Sam C — 10 Jun 2012

Jesus Christ, what a fucking movie! David Fincher is one of my all time favorite directors. I really enjoyed the grimy and grim films he has done: Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiaz, etc. And that's exactly how this movie started out. When Benjamin Button is born, he is a deteriorated, wrinkle ridden old man. Funny how the environments he hangs out in during this time period represent his being: the dilapidated old folk's home, the dingy tugboat, the Russian hotel. All of which is bathed in Fincher's usual liking for blandish, muck-yellow cinematography. As he grows older the environments seem to be getting a little better, and the film becomes more colorful and lively. Not to say that the first half isn't lively. This entire movie is a spectacle that everyone should see. A lot of people I have talked to have said that they thought it was mediocre and boring, which I can see. However, I was wildly entertained the entire time, and was literally on the edge of my seat without even noticing that I was hanging off my chair more than once. And that has never happened to me during a movie before.

This is by far David Fincher's best movie and he throws everything he's got into it. This movie is absolutely beautiful, stunning, pretty, charming, delightful . . . the list of adjectives I felt during this movie could go on and on. This movie made me smile. It made me laugh ("Did I ever tell you about the time I was struck by lightning?"), it made me thrilled, and, on more than one occasion, it made my eyes water up because some parts were just so damn sad. I know I said the exact same thing about Slumdog, but I take it back. THIS is probably the best movie I have seen in VERY long time.