THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

rated PG13

ART--->***
HEART->****
MIND-->**
FUN--->***

Based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Benjamin (Brad Pitt) lives his life in reverse, slowly getting younger as everyone else gets older. Along the way, his experiences keep him coming back to Daisy (Cate Blanchett), his first love. Their story is told in seamless flashbacks from the 1910's to the present.

Because of this sublime "what if" of reverse aging, we have a bizarre yardstick to measure life's worth by. Brad Pitt is our constant, meant to look beautiful, which he is. And Cate Blanchett is accomplished, believable. But the strength is in the story, in the iconic visions of life's multiple chapters.

Benjamin is a lot like Forrest Gump. A character who is just an observer to all that life has to offer. While GUMP was a wonderful ride, albeit very stagy and forced, BENJAMIN BUTTON flows in an organic, natural way. His experiences are burned into memory but lost in time. And when the memories fade, all that's left are words on a page, a scrapbook of his life. Watching the film, you feel like you're snuggling up to a great story by the fireplace while everyone else is sleeping in the house.

At a run time of almost three hours, BUTTON invites you not to wallow, but to be immersed in an entire life. How much you value the lives of others, and your part in them, is the power of this film. The most important things in life are the relationships you have with those you love. And knowing that they, like everything else, are fleeting.

There is some discreet nudity and sexuality. But my only real objections are a bit of foul language, and the use of immorality as some sort of rite-of-passage. If only they would have used God's principles to measure their actions. Still, there is a common, underlying humanity to it all. This movie is almost all heart.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON left me surprised and moved and grateful for the experience, wanting to cherish the lives of my loved ones even more. And that's exactly what the film is about. This is by far one of the best films you will ever see, period.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED