Brad Pitt is just not Benjamin Button
Why did David Fincher choose Brad Pitt? True, he has done films like The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Twelve Monkeys among others, but all said and done, he still has a long way to go before he can play a character like Benjamin Button.
The story is of course, unbelievable. Something that is a fantasy, but not portrayed that way. This baby born as an old man – complete with being almost stone deaf and with cataracts and arthiritis – who starts ageing reversely – so that finally when he is dying at an advanced age – he actually looks like a new born baby. But, the film scores in its treatment. It sure come as a surprise from the director of Fight Club.
And, of course, the film just had to win for Best Makeup. It has to be seen to be believed. Definitely, some visual effects have been used too. But, the makeup – right from Brad Pitt’s reverse ageing to Cate Blanchett’s normal ageing – it’s brilliant.
Of the acting, Cate Blanchett outshines Brad Pitt in more ways than one. Especially, when she is getting older. The way, she carries herself, her voice modulation, her actions, her gait – it’s impeccable. In the scene where Benjamin finally leaves Daisy and his daughter Caroline, Cate’s expression of disbelief and resignation combined together is too good. Brad Pitt is good too. But, definitely not great. Actually, he’s so good looking that he knows he looks devastating on screen, and somehow that confidence comes across and disturbs his acting. Maybe that’s the reason he looks good in films like the Ocean’s series and The Mexican. Those are films that are meant for him.
When you come across roles like Benjamin Button, you inevitably think of Tom Hanks. Atleast, I did. Maybe that’s what didn’t let me enjoy Brad’s performance. But, in some scenes surely, he was brilliant. Especially when he hears of his mother’s death – the expression on his face – honestly one of the most subtly painful moments. But, I still maintain that it was not a film for him. He is good, but not outstanding enough to be nominated for an Academy Award.
Taraji P. Henson as Queenie, who adopts Benjamin, is brilliant. An outstanding performance which deserved an award. The film ends with Brad talking about all the people who made a difference in his life. With the shot of Queenie, he says – ‘Some people are mothers’ – that one line describes her character like nothing else. Through out the film, she exudes this warmth that only a mother can. Undeniably good.
Benjamin’s affair with Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton) is the stuff dreams are made of. It is the ultimate romance. Meeting at midnight and parting before day break. Even the rules – not to look at each other in daylight, never to say I love you – it’s a fairytale affair – with an equally romantic ending – suddenly one night Elizabeth doesn’t turn up. She leaves a note saying – It was nice meeting you – and that’s it. That is the stuff of romace.
Finally, Benjamin and Daisy finding love and happiness and living in a lover’s paradise – literally – is again a fairytale. Benjamin’s postcards to his daughter later from India – where he travels as a backpacker – are touching. And, as Benjamin grows younger, Daisy grows older – till she is cradling him like a baby.
The shot where Benjamin makes peace with his father is wonderfully taken and very subtly put across. A touching scene.
A good watch definitely. I am yet to catch the other Oscar nominated films like Milk, The Reader, The Wrestler and Frost/Nixon, but something tells me that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was the weakest among these.
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
I personally loved Frost/Nixon the most outta all of them
I have no idea what bush you are beating up against and PFC generally does get weak ones once in a while but your observations are purely shocking. Agreed his performance is vastly overrated and the nomination at all these awards was incomprehensible but coming down on him being unsuited for roles aforementioned. Ahan, something is wrong as you overemphasize your zeal and trespass random critique.
At the end of the day, I cannot imagine Tom Hanks ability to pull off the role of a 20-30 year old. Which Mr. Pitt could easily. You could have a DiCapri there but I am sure he was a tad bit busy. Does it not generally swing between these two for all roles? Babel, Blood Diamond… etc!! You know what I mean.
Megha here actually is able to tell that TCCBB is the weakest of the lot simply by watching just that. How relative has this world really become?
I, in fact felt that Taraji P. Henson overreacts through out the movie in more ways than one. But then, you are as entitled to your opinion on her.
And lastly, “he’s so good looking that he knows he looks devastating on screen, and somehow that confidence comes across and disturbs his acting.” is the most convenient form of attack. As far as I’m concerned, Brad Pitt did not harm. He has been a great actor throughout, beginning with those early days to river runs.. to 7 years in tibet.. to the rest. Yes, his weaker portrayals include Burn after reading and Se7en but in this one, he simply essays what Fincher must have had him do. His quiet at times, in the film, is almost romantic and the scenes of gallantry on the ship and otherwise are done with as much resolution and panache and petrification as Tom Hank’s ability in FG’s Vietnam.
@uninterested
You put it all together actually.
She’s kinda overreacting
I agree with you on the opinion on the treatment. The original story by Scott Fitzgerald was a comedy. They just took the idea of reverse aging from that story, and gave emphasis to the romantic relationship between two people aging in the opposite directions.
If this movie was made in India, we would have been seeing a flurry of posts which focus only on the lack of “logic” in the story – why no media or medical fraternity is chasing Button, what illness he is suffering from, etc. etc.
@uninterested
you put it down rightly. I dont agree with the author of this post. I think Brad Pitt harming the movie, is a ridiculous statement, I dont think so at all. He can pull off both the young and the old look and that probably one of the major reasons , why fincher went with him – apart from the fact that I think Pitt is not only a Huge star, but also a great actor.
Agree with #2 unintrested that Tom hanks would have been better in aged button than as young button. L Caprio would have been the alternate choice.
True to an extent, yeah I do agree that Brad Pitt did not add to a great extent to the role, but the role was such that it did not require unbelievable acting prowess, he did good justice to the role and was surprisingly graceful even when he was shown old.
To see the entire film thinking how another actor “could” have done this, will be a grave injustice to this beautiful film.
The first and foremost thing that anybody needs to have while watching a film(Specially when somebody is critiquing) is “open” mind, which unfortunately you lacked(by your own admission!!).
“I am yet to catch the other Oscar nominated films like Milk, The Reader, The Wrestler and Frost/Nixon, but something tells me that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was the weakest among these. ”
Not “something” but these sentences tell me that unfortunately this is not a good review.
Agreed DiCaprio could havde done the role too. But, you forget the use of visual effects. Brad’s young looks, when he comes back from his trip to India, had a bit to do with visual effects too. He is a good actor – but definitely not a great actor – definitely not someone who can pull off a Benjamin Button flawlessly. For me, most of his acting, barring a few scenes, depended largely on his makeup.
@Smeagol,
I did not intend to write a ‘good review’. I just put across my thoughts after watching the film. It was a film I awaited eagerly. And I have been disappointed. A lot more could have been done, could have been said.
I staunchly disagree with the author on the casting choice and it being weakest of the other nominees. Agreed that Brad’s appearances were mostly touched up by special affects, yet he has done a fine act. It is very easy to imagine how other people could have done this act better or worse, but sometimes the cinema itself finds its actor. Let me ask you Medha, amongst the actors available in the age range of 20-40 who else could have done this act better? Any recommendations?
@Vivek,
If you strictly limit it to between 30-40, then definitely – Leonardo Di Caprio. I’ll still go with Tom Hanks – his younger looks can easily be done with the help of visual effects. He is a much better actor, no doubt. By the way, I have never said Brad was bad – I said he was good, but not great.
guys this movie is nothing but curious case of foresst gump
@medha (who commented, i assume its the same one with the bland dialogue upon which we are examining) – WHAT?
I am not an actor but I have had the tiny priv. of attending a few sessions by some play directors. Make up cannot make or break an actor. Make up doesnt twist into a smile which Mr. Pitt exudes and neither does the time when he has to portray grief. On the overall, your post was as useless and irrelevant as it gets here. But since when was this section of PFC meant for the better ones..!
@ Medha
I doubt Leo may be an ideal choice though I agree on Hanks. Leo’s track record is no better than Brad’s plus his ultra-boyish (read: girlish looks) are always a case against him!
Hanks, though an acting powerhouse, may still be a little aged to play the young Brad role – It is easier to make a young actor look old – than an old actor look young. I guess!
I just wanted to point out that the story is written as a work of fiction, therefore not meant to be realistic at all. The fact that it’s an ‘unbelievable story’ is not a good reason to discount it as a good movie.
I do agree that a less gorgeous actor may have been a better Benjamin, but Brad Pitt did an amazing job.
I find your debate fascinating….film reviews are just personal views…some people like fish, other meat, other people are vegetarian…I just watched the film and I opened my mind to enjoy it. I laughed, I cried , I felt the love we have for our children ( the blind man who builds the clock that runs backwards with the hope of having his son back- what a beautiful statement against war). I identified myself with Daisy , her anguish when the love of her life leaves. I am from Spain and my wife Pakistani. Her visa was denied for 9 months. During the first 9 months of my marriage I could not be with my wife. I felt the internal fight and pain of a man who loves his daughter and knows that the best thing for her is leaving. Can you imagine that? I thought about my own daughter and I put myself in Benjamin’s shoes. What a painful decision… I would have been selfish. This is the beauty of films and books.They make us think, feel, laugh, cry. In my humble opinion this volcanic eruption of feelings in just over 3 hours is priceless. I am just grateful that someone made this film. With all due respect, thinking about other actors instead of enjoying this beautiful movie is a waste. If we were reading the book we could have all thought about our own Benjamin Button. But this is a movie. Benjamin was chosen for us. Just enjoy it…Nevertheless, this is just my personal view. Some people like meat, other fish, other are vegetarian. I respect all of them.
Hey agree with you that the makeup was brilliant but as far as Brad Pitts older characters, they were all Visual Effects…The older Brad Pitt’s face is entirely CG. It is completely created digitally and Brad Pitt was filmed separately in a motion capture studio for the animation. Another actor was used for the body and Brad Pitt’s digital face was composited over that actors face. Hence at least as far as the older characters for Brad Pitt are concerned, there is no use of makeup