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Generally favorable reviews - based on 37 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 399 Ratings

  • Starring: Cate Blanchett
  • Summary: “I was born under unusual circumstances.” And so begins The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. We follow his story, set in New OrleOrleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century, following his journey that is as unusual as any man’s life can be. Benjamin Button is a grand tale of a not-so-ordinary man and the people and places he discovers along the way, the loves he finds, the joys of life and the sadness of death, and what lasts beyond time. (Paramount Pictures) Collapse
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 37
  2. Negative: 1 out of 37
  1. Superbly made and winningly acted by Brad Pitt in his most impressive outing to date.
  2. Benjamin never questions his fate and ­never actually gets to enjoy being a kid. At least there's a thoughtful middle part, where the enigmatic Blanchett comes alive and Benjamin seems haunted by life -- someone we recognize, and not just a vessel tossed about by time.
  3. 60
    It's so almost moving -- a meticulously crafted mechanical bird -- that it nearly feels like the real thing.
  4. The movie's excruciating length is without dramatic or thematic justification.

See all 37 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Negative: 48 out of 179
  1. PaulF.
    9
    Any movie who can make Brad pit look either really really old, or even more impressive, move young and handsome than he already is has really accomplished something. Whoever did the make up for this movie really knew what they were doing. When old Button really looked nearly bald he did so without any cheesy looking head mask lines or anything. It looked totally realistic. But really the masterpiece of the movie was the story itself. It was very original and thought provoking. It really made me think about my own life and what it means to age and face death. Also the qualities of who we really are inside and not only our outside appearances were really exemplified by this movie. In short this was not simply entertainment but something that could nourish the intellect and soul if one was receptive its wisdoms. If the movie had any faults, and I can only think of two, is that it was way too long especially for this culture of short attention spans, and that it rushed over the younger years. The movie seemed to spend forever in his elder and mid years. Basically the movie was so centric on Brad pit it did not allow the chance for other actors to really shine. Not that I have anything against Brad Pitt who did a wonderful Job in the movie. Brad Pitt is an actor you want to hate because he's too darn good looking and in way too many movies. But honestly is really good at what he does. Despite the few minor flaws this movie is a real gem in a sea of superficial movies meant solely to entertain and then be forgotten for the next distraction. Truly The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was a 1 in a 100 movies you only get to see if you are paying attention. Expand
  2. JayH
    8
    Impressive production - the art direction, make-up, and cinematography are magnificent. Brad Pitt is amazing. The story is fascinating. It did seem it's 2 1/2 hour length, a little cutting would have helped, but overall a top notch film that is outstanding. Expand
  3. The Curious case of Benjamine button is verryyyyyyy longgggggg. Brad Pitt does a great job and i like the narration. It was suprisingly sadder then i expected, but still felt longer then it should. Expand
  4. JasonC
    4
    Most overrated movie of 2008. Extremely tedious and self-indulgent. I was looking for some type of underlying point to this whole story and couldn't find one. I have never walked out on a movie but I almost walked out on this one with an hour left to go. Expand

See all 179 User Reviews