The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

This was a pretty good movie. Epic scope, seamless special effects, solid performances. I particularly liked Pitt's performance as Benjamin. He usually plays fast-talking, charming, go-getters. This time, he plays the sweetest, quiestest character ever. And David Fincher toned down the Fincher-ness, keeping things pretty straightforward, but still visually interesting.

I'd call it great, except that I liked it better when I saw it in 1994, when they called it "Forrest Gump." If you're interested in me breaking down the similarities (which will involve spoilers) keep reading...

So, he's a kid of few words, growing up in the deep south, living in a boarding house, where he's introduced to the world of music by a boarder. His mother is a supportive presence, telling him he'll make his way in the world even though he's different. She has a nifty little phrase about the nature of randomness in our lives to help with that.

He meets and falls in love with a childhood girlfriend. She spins in and out of his life while pursuing a career in the arts. When he visits her unannounced at a performance, the reunion doesn't go well.

He goes off to war, working for an intense, war-hungry guy with a daddy complex and a bit of a body obsession. When he finally is thrust into battle, he wisely hides from enemy fire, but still goes into danger to see his friend die in his arms.

His economic needs are taken care of by way of a fortuitous coincidence. He likes to hang out on a boat, watching the sun rise. When he finally is reunited with his true love, she gets pregnant. Not long after this, they break up again, and he goes on a lengthy walkabout.

In the end, someone is thrust into unexpected single parenthood.

And there's a CG natural phenomenon that underlines the theme of fate-vs-chance that informs the entire movie. Oh, yeah. And a real-life hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico figures prominently in the story.

I mean, really, Eric Roth.  Couldn't you have changed it up a little?