Benjamin said no to Oil of Ulay... (The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (DVD))

Member Name: rosaliecullen

Product:	The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (DVD)
Date:	03/11/09 (45 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Heart warming, excellent computer effects

Disadvantages: Length for some but I didn't notice it.

Had heard this film was good, but didn't know anything more than "its about someone who gets younger instead of older". The films major "stars" are Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett (who oddly enough were both in Babel which I watched last week, not sure why its odd actually!).

The tale goes that a baby is born, it's mother dies in child birth and the baby is abandoned because it looks like a monster. The only way to describe what the baby looks like is a mandrake from Harry Potter if you've ever seen it. Seriously.Ugly. Turns out that the "baby" has a very rare condition which sees it being like aged 1 and really old, no hair, liver spots all the way through to being about 70 years old and having the body of a baby. It's not as weird as it sounds and the film has actually been done beautifully.

Anyway Pitt and Blanchett are drawn together, and the film shows a brief period in their life of happiness when they are of similar age and shows how hard it is when one is getting older and one is getting younger. The film was really heart warming though and was done very sensitively. It makes you really think about life and death and what you have got, and made me think that you should just cherish each day. It is actually quite a sad and frustrating film at some points and a film that can force you into having emotion is a good one in my opinion.

The film itself is 2 hours 40 mins long which I pulled at face at at the start but actually it keeps you that entertained that I didn't really even give a second thought to the length when I watched it. Pitt was a good actor for a change, I'm not usually that fussed on him and Blanchett was fairly decent, MUCH better than they were in Babel and you could actually see some chemistry between them here. Jolie better watch out! ;)

There are few actions scenes, very few gory scenes, very few sex scenes, just a plain good 'ol fashioned story. It felt a little like Forrest Gump at times, that sort of story telling.

The ageing effects of both main characters were absolutely brilliant, sometimes so very subtle but very very clever.

Overall I would definitely buy this film, we rented it but I can imagine I would like to see this again. Buy it!

Summary: An excellent film, one that you will enjoy!