The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

David Fincher directs Eric Roth’s epic adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald story of the same name. Over the course of nearly three hours, the film shifts from whimsical fantasy to war drama to romance to a somber and poignant comment on aging and the human life cycle. While the length may seem ambitious, it allows Brad Pitt, as the title character who grows younger rather than older, and Cate Blanchett, as life-long love interest Daisy, to show off their proven talents while they navigate old age, youth and all stages in between. A stellar supporting cast helps to enrich the film’s version of early 20th century New Orleans. However, a Hurricane Katrina subplot and several other clumsy devices regress on Blanchett and Pitt’s best efforts to give an overly detailed production some much-needed brevity.