(M) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008, David Fincher) Grade: B+
Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story, this film stars Brad Pitt as the title character, a man who ages in reverse so that he is born as an old man and dies as a baby. Adapted for the screen by Eric Roth, this Button maintains little of its source material, so it really should be viewed on its own. I mean, a two-and-a-half-hour film from a 20-page short story? There was quite some artistic freedom here. Button has been compared to Forrest Gump, which Roth also wrote, and that’s a pretty good comparison, as Benjamin travels around the world, meets all sorts of characters and has one true love. The Jenny in this case is Daisy, played by the always great Cate Blanchett. The film does drag a bit, but by the end, I enjoyed it for its reflection on life, aging and mortality. I admit, however, that I had higher expectations.