Like A Really Intellectual, Long Button

Benjamin Button Review

Imagine Forrest Gump by way of David Fincher, and that’s pretty much Benjamin Button.

It’s not a coincidence the same screenwriter worked on both films. Eric Roth has written a lot of really intelligent, emotionally detached screenplays, such as The Insider, Ali and The Good Shepherd. His work is undeniably strong and it’s no wonder he has been Oscar-nominated multiple times.

But the film he won an Oscar for was Forrest Gump. Unlike some of his other scripts, Gump combined memorable characters with overt emotions, it was really even a little sappy.

Benjamin Button is more in his usual style, despite superficially containing many similarities to Gump.

The characters are diverse and convincing. The love story is sufficiently grand and tragic. And in the film’s one really stand-out example of writing proficiency, there’s an entire scene breaking down the little coincidences leading up to Daisy (Ben’s love interest) car accident.

Director David Fincher is known more for his dark edge than as a spinner of fable-like epics, which Button clearly aims to be.

There are moments here of jaw-dropping beauty, a battle shown in reverse slow-mo is one highlight, and nearly all the settings have been given a vibrancy and detail that really pays off.

But much like Fincher’s Zodiac, this movie is way too long. Zodiac suffered from this far more, leaving the viewer feeling as exasperated as the investigating detectives of the killer at the seemingly unending case, but Button starts to drag well before the third act.

Maybe it’s the slow pace, the somber mood, or some combination, but if this movie had been an even two hours it would have retained much more goodwill.

The acting is strong across the board, with Taraji P. Henson in particular making an impression as Ben’s adoptive mother. Her performance is full of vigor and passion and life, and stands out because everyone else seems to be on a similarly downbeat and subdued note.

That’s the problem, you want to engage with Button but there is a feeling of intellectual detachment you get from it that keeps you at arms length.

Bottom Line

It’s a fine movie, boasting amazing special effects and settings and a reasonably good story, but it’s not something you would want to imagine sitting through twice.

Creepiest Parts

Ben is born as this freaky old-man baby, and meets Daisy when he is technically a youngster (mentally) but looks really old. At the time she looks really young. They do little kid flirting but because he looks super old, it’s a bit trippy to watch…ditto for his death, which I will not spoil the details of.

That One Army Part

The reverse slow-mo army scene is extraordinary to watch and is in the film basically as a two second insert. This shows tremendous restraint on the part of Fincher, as I would imagine that was an expensive bit to shoot, and he basically puts it in as an aside. It is absolutely stunning.

Eric Roth Knows How to Write Reactive Characters

It’s extremely challenging to write characters who are more internal and reactive than external and goal-oriented. Roth has done a fine job doing this in this film as well as The Good Shepherd and to some extent Forrest Gump as well.

-Dan Benamor