Review - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of those rare films that redefines everyone involved even when those people are some of the biggest in the business.
David Fincher's movies are consistently excellent but none of them even begins to compare to the art that he has injected into every frame of Button. This film is both grandiose and intimate, alien and human, familiar yet altogether...curious. It is a film that revels in these binaries and one of the few films in recent memory to elevate itself to art.
However, the more startling transformation is that of the movie's lead, Brad Pitt, who proves that he deserves every bit of acclaim that is heaped upon him. As one of those actors so often considered to be noteworthy for their personal lives rather than their art, Pitt acts at such a level within this movie that one can't help but begrudgingly admit that he is deserving of that attention. His portrayal of Benjamin, aging backwards, is nothing short of unbelievable. He is so fragile and so human that, despite the story's ludicrous premise, one can't help but internalize Benjamin. His struggles are our struggles. His struggles are America's.
It is a movie that demands to be seen multiple times as it is impossible to be both emotionally invested in Benjamin as the story requires and appropriately appreciate the lush and censuous cinematography of the film itself.
All that said, it is not a perfect film. The Katrina frming device is unnecessary and ultimately detrimental to the main narrative. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is, however, one of the great film romances--far superior to the other tent poles of the genre.
Benjamin Button is a true credit to everyone involved, boasting fantastic writing, acting and directing. It is an epic movie on a human scale. It creates a rich, textured and engaging world and an even more engaging set of characters. It is one of those few movies that is more than just a way to pass two hours (or three hours, in this case). This movie is an experience. It is emotionally exhausting and at the same time rejuvenating. It's message is a dire one: that nothing lasts, yet somehow Pitt and Fincher manage to sell it as an optimistic sentiment. Nothing lasts: love, life-- everything is transient but it is also beautiful, moving and heartwrenching and should be enjoyed while it can.